Ideas for the New Year

2011 is coming....

My old idea journal...is getting full....So I made myself a new one....
Covered in Purple Onion stamps.....

Did you See? Did you see???
- my name!
- the word "ART"
- "happiness is art"
- 2011 stamp (very faint)
- the kraft coloured pages? I LURVE kraft coloured pages....
Sorry for the excess enthusiasm - little corny details like that make me happy! - haha

And here are other things to begin the new year:

January 2011 classes at Laines:

1. two layouts using 7 Gypsies Conservatory collection (my favourite!!!)2. A not-so-mini album (6 X 12" canvas from Prima) done in black red and brown...this one is quite a lot of work so its going to have to be a 2-parter...

The schedule is out on the store blog so you can download a copy there, but try not to call till 30th Dec K? We're busy stock-taking so its a little hard to pick up the phone...

See you soon!

Very Grateful....and Honoured

Ending the year with a little announcement:

Yayyyyyyy!!!!!!!! I get to design for...
with these very talented ladies:

Rosa-Marina Nilsson
Linda Mohlin
Camilla Bakke
Patricia Garcia

A super big big big thank you to Marie (and thank you Karin!!!) for giving me a chance to be on the design team. You'll be seeing Marie's suuuuper gorgeous paper designs on my blog real soon....(soon as I get my internet connection at home fixed!!)

In the meantime, check it out here:

You can find me in the Inspiration Gallery....(and tell me if you think its funny I'm the only one on the design team with her mouth open (I do)....haha)

12 Days of Christmas Countdown!

My turn for the Christmas Countdown!
And I made something with no pattern paper......only cardstock. (And with my yummy new camera stamps from Purple Onion)
And that's a little clue to the gift you'll be getting.
So hop on over to the Laine's or PaperMarket blog to check out the details.

A Christmas Present....

I wanted to give you something for Christmas.....but its kind of difficult in a situation like this....

So I thought I'd share this instead.....My way of saying thank you for reading, for being my 'cyber friend'.

No, it's not "the joy of reading".......its a.......*drumroll*.....Happy Accident!
See the 'ghostly' flowers and text on the background? They were stamped - and not with grey ink.

HAPPY ACCIDENT!: Ghost images on Glossy Paper
here's how it goes:
1. Stamp on Ranger white glossy cardstock with Tsukineko Versafine black ink (I haven't experimented extensively but I think it works best with this ink)

2. Leave the ink to dry (it will turn from shiny black to matte black)

3. Use a dry tissue to rub the image (gently) and the whole top layer of black 'powder' rubs off to reveal a grey ghost image left behind.

And here's a close up so you can see the contrast between my 'ghost' flower and a 'normal' flower - both stamped with the same ink, but the normal flower is stamped on cardstock and cut out.
Does an idea count as a Christmas present? :)

Now, for some REAL Christmas presents, check out the 12 Day Christmas Countdown that's starting at the Laines and PaperMarket blogs TODAY!

Snuggly Wuggly

Some parts are a little scary...

Some parts are a little silly...but there's always a happy ending...

'Cos Che Che Berry is a good storyteller.

More Snuggly-ness coming your way....
Layout Title: You, Cat lover you.
Scrapbooking Specs: a highly 'patched' layout with background made of patches of book text and a patchwork heart. Makes for an old-style cozy, warm and fuzzy layout.

Hope this has got you in a snuggly mood....go hug someone already.

I Really Should Start Giving These Away...

Every time I make cards I end up keeping them.....so this year, I WILL give these Christmas cards away!

Purple Onion Stamps: Circle set I, Merry Christmas logo

Purple Onion Stamps: Small number block Set Date Me, Vintage Postmark Date Set Purple Onion Stamps: Seasons Greetings Logo, Rouget Et Noir Music Clip

Otherwise, I won't get to give them away till next year!

Colour

God is reallly good with colour.... (wish my photos could do them justice)

pink flowers

brown ducksyellow 'duckling'
water that is no particular colour, yet all colours at once
green lilypadsblack swans and fluffy grey cygnets brown mushrooms with pink 'pixie'blue ice cream....ok, this one is man made

And of course, green green green - everywhere we went in the botanic gardens....lovely.

Me? I'm still trying to get the hang of colour mixing... that's why everything always ends up brown...Why do you think I keep using brown? Heh heh

Watching Others Have Fun Is Lots of Fun Too

I loved watching how everybody had fun putting their own spin on this little canvas lunchbag during class recently:

Here's one side...

And the other...

In the end, there were blue-green bags, pinky-red bags, artsy tie-die coloured bags,earthy brown bags.....each unique to the person making it.

And everyone's bag had its own unique embellishments - from hot-air balloons, to vintage cars parked outside the house, to a little handle for the door, to a afro-head flower with a bow tie - Fantastic!

When you guys have fun, I have fun too! So thank you for being there!

Christmas comes to Purple Onion

Newsflash newflash.....
Purple Onion Designs is having a:
And a very special deal on stamps marked with this:There are loads of lovely yummy new stamps out!!! Just in time for Christmas! Here are a few of my favourites:

click here click here!

I Think I Need a Rest....

Tonight I am going to go home and do NOTHING. Because I FINALLY finished designing all my classes for December. Tired....tired....

And here they are.....*drumroll*....

1. One canvas page mini album (It's VERY black and covered in splats and splotches - don't say I didn't warn you.....I was having A LOT of fun - and you know what that means...)2. Three Layouts for the layout class: nice and cheery, happy happy (but still with lots of ink - just not brown)


3. One altered multi-drawer box - with cover design inspired by guitar strings
Schedule's out - and I dropped everything off at the store today...go see go see!
K, gonna go lie down now.

What joy...what bliss....

School's out!......yay!!!time for a little R&R...

But it's work work work for Mummy....this time of the year is actually when it gets most busy for me, juggling projects, church, family....Christmas shopping! ( This year I promised myself I will NOT end up shopping like a crazy woman on Christmas eve!) And let's see if I have time to make homemade presents this year....

Class is always enjoyable of course. Especially enjoyed teaching this class:

ANTHROPOLOGIE (the name's quite snooty yah? haha)Bookbinding class with 7Gypsies Conservatory collection.....thank you thank you to all the lovely ladies who again and again willingly spend time to go along with my crazy ideas and strange experiments!

Here are more pics of the book. (I like it so much I did 'studio shots' for it - haha!)front

side

insideoutside

And sorry sorry, I know I owe some of you instructions (those who attended the class) - I'm working on it... Soon ok? I'm trying very hard, but the kids keep calling me to come and play.....and I am very tempted - haha :)