Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Sometimes It's Hard To Be A Woman

Sometimes it's hard to be a woman.

Well, not just any woman but this woman specifically. Being me, that is.

You see, it all happened like this ...

... I was trying out an embossing technique I wanted to practice for an upcoming class. Admittedly, a few hours had elapsed since the time I had watched an instructional video and the time I was trying the technique .... so it's not wholly unexpected that I should forget something.

Unfortunately, it was a very important point that I forgot ... Suffice it to say that I realised way too late that the "sandwich" I was trying to push through my Big Shot was TOO THICK.

You guessed it. My Big Shot jammed, stuck harder than Pooh Bear in Rabbit's hole.

I stayed calm. (that's pretty amazing in itself, actually)

I tried reversing. No deal.

I took out all the screws I could find in hopes of loosening the mechanism. No deal.

I tried bashing the multipurpose platform with a hammer to push it back through the way it had come. (BTW, boy! that thing can take some punishment!) No deal.

I called on DD14, who is so much better than me at problem solving and thinking outside the square that she is impressive and scary at the same time. No deal.

So I had to wait for HOURS until DH came home. (I had to watch episodes of Suits to take my mind off my poor disabled Big Shot. It was tough, I tell ya!)

He took out all the screws. Huh!

He tried bashing the MPP with a hammer to push it back through. Well, OK, his muscle power is obviously much better than mine cos that worked for him!

However, the mechanism was still jammed.

He ended up dismantling the machine (which he calls my "press" cos maybe he thinks he's the only Big Shot around here, huh?) and thank goodness the man has some engineering knowledge, cos darn it if he didn't get it working again.

HUZZAH!!!

My baby was returned to me in full working order! OMG I was sooooooooo relieved!

So folks, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

No, you wouldn't be that silly, now would you?

Well, I spose if you've read down this far, you feel you deserve to see a card or something, huh? Yeah, OK, I'll give you that point. I can't show you the embossing technique one yet (can't let my class ladies peek too soon, ya know?) but here's one I made using the cute More Amore dsp and one of my favourite watercolouring sets.



Materials used:
  • stamps - Greeting Card Kids
  • card - primrose petals, raspberry ripple, pool party, watercolour, More Amore dsp, pool party patterned paper
  • other - pool party seam binding, square punch, Big Shot, designer frames E/F, dazzling details, sponge dauber, aqua painter, markers, dimensionals, sticky strip
  • non SU - rhinestone embellishment, bow tying machine

 Cased from Deb Currier.

Thanks for dropping in today.

Cheers
Kez

Monday, January 28, 2013

Blast From the Past

I came across a card I made years ago (you know, one of those ones where you say "What was I thinking?"!) and thought how perfectly the main image goes with the new cloudy day embossing folder, soon to be released in the Seasonal Catalogue. So I dismantled the old card and made a new one.

I don't have the stamp set any more, so I typed the sentiment on my computer instead. It says "Friends are the umbrellas in the storms of life"(click on the photo for a closer look). And I don't recall the name of the stamp set, so if you know it, please let me know!


Materials used:
  • stamps - SU (retired)
  • card - basic grey, whisper white, patterned papers (retired)
  • other - cloudy day E/F, Big Shot, basic grey satin ribbon, dimensionals, crystal effects
  • non SU - computer and printer, raindrop embellishment, oval die

Maybe you've got some re-workable masterpieces tucked away too? Why not dig them out and give them a new lease on life!

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Sisters

The colour combination for the Fab Friday challenge really appealed this week:

But before you see my project, you'd better strap in, buckle up or just hang on tight because I've only gone and made a scrapbook page! Shock!!! Yes, there may well be thunderbolts, lol.


I've tried for an antique/shabby chic kind of look. I stamped on my background card and sponged around the edges, then also stamped and sponged on the pink pirouette striped paper. The lace, doily, heart embellishment and pool party embossing powder are all from the Seasonal catty.


The flowers are fabric, the leaves die cut or punched card.



The "sisters" is a chipboard die cut which I embossed with aged ivory embossing enamel - doesn't it look amazing? You'd swear it was worn metal or something.

I adore this shot of my two gorgeous girls and I hope this layout has done it justice.

Materials used:
  • stamps - En Francais, Everything Eleanor, Delicate Doilies, Tiny Tags
  • card - crumb cake, very vanilla, pink pirouette patterned paper, cherry cobbler
  • other - paper doily, pool party embossing powder, heat tool, sponges, artisan embellishment kit
  • non SU - fabric flowers, wooden word, leaf die, leaf punch, aged ivory embossing enamel, rhinestone embellishments, hot glue gun, mounting tape

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez







My Own Little Nerds

Wikipedia tells me that:

nerd (adjective: nerdy) is a person, typically described as being overly intellectual, obsessive, or socially impaired. They may spend inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, obscure, or non-mainstream activities, which are generally either highly technical or relating to topics of fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. "Nerd" is a derogatory, stereotypical term, but as with other pejoratives, it has been reclaimed and redefined by some as a term of pride and group identity.

Both of my girls proudly claim to be nerds and they do fit some of the definition for sure:
  • both very intelligent
  • both love Sci Fi such as Dr Who, Serenity, Dune, Dollhouse
  • both love classics such as Shakespeare, Austen, Bronte and Wilde (definitely non-mainstream)
  • both love fantasy such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Song of the Lioness
  • both loving learning Auslan (Australian Sign Language)
  • both wear dark rimmed glasses

So when I saw a stamp set released that celebrates nerds, I just HAD to get it! The images are gorgeous and the sentiments that go with it hilariously appropriate!

This one was cased from Jenny Peterson and is for DD14:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Smarty Pants by There She Goes clear stamps
  • card - summer starfruit, soft suede, midnight muse, watercolour, Comfort Cafe dsp, very vanilla, summer starfruit patterned paper
  • other - ticket corner punch, spiral punch, midnight muse ribbon, dimensionals, aqua painter, markers

And DD20's card uses the Halloween papers that to me look very similar to Burberry's classic check:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Smarty Pants by There She Goes clear stamps
  • card - basic black, very vanilla, tangerine tango, watercolour, Howlstooth and Scaringbone dsp
  • other - aqua painter, markers, dimensionals

I hope if you have nerds in your house that they celebrate their uniqueness too!

Thanks for calling in.

Cheers
Kez


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

A Grateful Heart

So anyway, I was out clothes shopping yesterday and I was trying on an outfit in coral and white over the navy pants I was wearing - and looking in the mirror, I thought how gorgeous those colours looked together and what a great card they would make!

 I'm sure all of you think up cards while you're in the changing room, don't you???!!!

So, here is the card my outfit inspired:



Materials used:
  • stamps - Pursuit of Happiness, French Foliage
  • card - calypso coral, whisper white, night of navy
  • other - honeycomb E/F, Big Shot, labels framelit, festive paper piercing pack, pearls, dimensionals, embossing stylus, piercing mat, piercing tool
  • non SU - fabric rose

The fabric rose was one I had in my stash, but you could use re-inkers to colour SU's fabric roses to match whatever colour you need!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Bee My Honey(comb)

I am simply LOVING the honeycomb embossing folder - just one of the many gorgeous new goodies coming in the Seasonal Catalogue next month - and have been making a few cards to show its versatility.

First up a literal use (ie) using it actually as a honeycomb!


 Materials used:
  • stamps - Just Buzzing By (retired)
  • card - pool party, whisper white, daffodil delight and calypso coral patterned papers, pool party core'dinations card
  • other - windows framelit, Big Shot, dimensionals, honeycomb E/F, sanding block, pool party button (SAB), calypso coral ribbon (last year's SAB), paper doily, blender pen, markers

Next a more general use as a background for a simple but sweet birthday card.


Materials used:
  • stamps - Perfect Punches
  • card - island indigo, whisper white, Sycamore St dsp (SAB), tangerine tango, Summer starfruit
  • other - honeycomb E/F, Big Shot, square punch, wide oval punch, decorative label punch, itty bitty punch, pearl, dimensionals

And lastly a patchwork-style card.


Materials used:
  • Word Play
  • card - pink pirouette, whisper white, riding hood red, Twitterpated dsp
  • other - triple heart punch, button, bakers twine, dimensionals, Baja breeze pleated ribbon (retired), sponge dauber
  • non SU - nestabilities die

Now you can see why I love this folder so much! Thanks for calling in - and I hope you are coping with the heat, if you're here in Aus.

Cheers
Kez

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Time And Relative Dimension In Space

If you ever watched television growing up - no matter how young or old you are - you probably know that Time And Relative Dimension In Space is the full title of the time machine/spacecraft that Dr Who travels around in - the TARDIS.

Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton were the Doctors during my formative years and the Daleks were the main enemy. Now the Doctor has a whole new following and my two daughters are among them; DD14 initiated her elder sister just before Christmas and now she is hooked as well!

So of course when I saw that one of the new Sale-a-bration sets this year included a phone box which can be easily made to look like a police call box, naturally Dr Who's TARDIS came immediately to mind! And I'm not the only one - a few of my fellow demos had the same idea and there are some TARDIS cards around already.

One of these I have cased for my first card as DD and I both loved it. Joan Robertson used ribbons for her "Union Jack" stripes but I used card for mine, and as we didn't get the wonderful Keep Calm stamp set here in Australia (thanks SU) I typed my sentiment on the computer. Here tis:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Feeling Sentimental (SAB)
  • card - basic black, Pacific point, real red, whisper white, watercolour
  • other - aqua painter, dimensionals, computer and printer

The sentiment was requested by DD14 - "humany-wumany" is a phrase that Matt Smith's Dr Who uses occasionally, so she tells me!

My second TARDIS card uses another SAB set as well called Vintage Verses and I think this particular sentiment suited the card perfectly. I like the simplicity of this one and think it would make a perfect masculine card:


Materials used:
  • stamps - Feeling Sentimental (SAB), Vintage Verses (SAB)
  • card - watercolour, confetti cream
  • other - aqua painter, dimensionals, sponge dauber

You can get your hands on the TARDIS stamp set for your own Dr Who fans from the 21st of this month - one free item for every $100 of product you order (before shipping). And if you don't already have your own demo, my contact details are over on the right!

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez


Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Welcome 2013


Welcome to 2013 everyone. Here's hoping it's a safe, happy and prosperous one for you all.

Cheers
Kez