Weekend Creativity

Gosh the weeks are flying by. I mean to post something new on here everyday but it seems that before I know it the day is over!
I have been making things...and teaching.. so have a bit to share over the next few posts.

Friday night was a fun evening at Jo's. Crafting for her and her mum Gillian's birthday. I taught them a birthday card with a detachable bookmark. I'm all about cards with bookmarks at the moment, must be all the reading I've been doing! I've just finished the Hunger Games series - truly brilliant, I loved every moment!

Anyway here's the card I taught at Jo's:

I took the colours and basic idea from page 8 of the Summer Mini Catalogue and adapted it to use the Friends 24/7 stamp set.

Hope you like it! xx Kate

Supplies used:
Stamp Sets: Friends 24/7 and On Your Birthday
Colours: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, So Saffron, Confetti White.
Other: Scallop Edge Punch, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Butterfly Sizzlit Die, Aqua Painter, clips assortment.

Don't miss Extravaganza! *sneak peak*

What could possibly be better than an afternoon full of gorgeous crafting where all the preparation and hard work has been done for you? Your only job is to turn up and enjoy yourself, doesn't that sound like bliss!
 
Here is a little peak at the project I have designed:

Here are the details:
Saturday March 12th
1-5pm
Balmoral Community Centre, Dominion Road, Auckland.
Just bring scissors and glue or your basic craft tool kit.
It's $45 for 5 beautiful and useful projects, afternoon tea, beverages, vouchers and door prizes.
Email me katetobeck@gmail.com to book your seat - we have a limited number of tickets each to sell for this so get in quick.

If you can't make it...don't let your friends miss out! Be sure to pass this on and let them know it's happening. Here is a link to the event page on Facebook.
See you there!
xx Kate

More Birthday Rock

A friend on Facebook commented that it's always great to see ideas for male cards because that is where a lot of people get stuck. Since I still had Grunge Rock out from yesterdays card, I thought I'd have another play.
So Nicola this one is for you!

All my favourite techniques on this card - tons of distressing, inking, background stamping, knot tying, fussy cutting, pop dotting goodness! Phew it was fun!
Colours are Confetti White, Pear Pizazz, Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip.

Right must go make dinner!
Kate xx

Grunge Rock Birthday

Hi All,

Just popping in very quickly with a new card I made on the weekend. Today has gone so fast and I need to head up to School shortly!

After the Owl card last week I decided to try another Clean and Simple card using stamps from the same set (Grunge Rock) to create a layered look . I really like this effect and it takes next to no time!

I've heat embossed half the Versamark background (on the left) with clear embossing powder, stamped the No.1 and rock crown in Sahara Sand, Happy Birthday in Soft Suede and the guitar twice in Real Red. Once on the card and once on a scrap piece cutting it out and popping it up on top of the other guitar. Add a Rock and Roll Rhinestone and call it done!

This morning I made a little banner for our front door to surprise Dave when he gets home from work. I didn't want Valentines Day to go unnoticed again this year!

 

Happy Valentines to all you out there too!

xx Kate

Little Owl

I was trawling through the masses of blog posts in my Google reader 30 minutes ago when one card in particular stopped me dead in my tracks. I just had to pull out my stamps and recreate the little cutie immediately. This never happens to me but I was at a standstill creatively so I am super glad it did!

The card was originally created by Maile Belles and the only thing I changed was the stamp set!

It's a clean and simple  4 x 4 inch one layer card that took next to no time with the help of my trusty stamp-a-majig stamp position-er. LOVE it! I do realize that Owls don't really belong in bird cages but hey.. I figure if it's good enough for Harry Potter than it's good enough for me!

Supplies: All from Stampin' Up!
Cardstock: Very Vanilla
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight
Stamps: Aviary, Apple Blossoms

I am really keen to get back into the swing of things for the year so if you or someone you know would like to host a class or workshop in the Auckland area please get in touch! I'll be GIVING away a free stamp set to anyone who books with me in the next two weeks. Thanks!
xx Kate

A belated birthday card

Hi, I'm not feeling quite so perky today - must need to pull out that Yoga mat and get stretching! It certainly gave me more energy yesterday.

I did however finish a card this morning!

It was a good friends birthday last Friday and since I'll be seeing her tomorrow night at Stamp Club I thought I better get cracking on a belated birthday card!

Woah right, Orange?? Not my usual colour choice here but I'm pushing some personal boundaries. I was looking at the card on the cover of the Sale-a-bration catalogue and decided to use Elements of Style instead of Bliss and the In Colours Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz. I really love the way this has come out.
Any thoughts?

Kate x

Cutie cards

Hi and happy Tuesday!

Oh am I ever in a good mood today! It's so lovely to have the girls back at school and the little fella down for his nap. I thought it was a good time to pop in at the old blog and show you a couple of new cards.

These are super tiny 3x3's. The perfect size for popping on a present, in a gift bag or just to say hi!

I'm doing exactly that with the first little one, I'll be sending it to school with Sophia to thank her teacher for a great first day back at School. She is such a warm and wonderful lady who has made Sophia feel right at home.

I've CASED this card from the Sale-a-bration catalogue. Some great ideas in there and some fabulous freebie stamp sets too!
Supplies:
Cardstock: Rose Red, Whisper White and a smidgen of Old Olive and Daffodil Delight.
Paper: Sweet ans Sour DSP
Ink: Soft Suede, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight.
Stamp sets: Sweet Summer (sale-a-bration) and Tiny Tags.
Other: White Gel Pen and Cropodile to make notebook holes.

This cute little birthday number also uses a Sale-a-bration set - my favourite one Bliss.
Supplies:
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Paper: Pear Pizzazz from the In Colours paper stack.
Ink: Concord Crush, Pink Pirouette, Early Espresso
Punches: 2 3/8 scallop, 1 3/4 circle, 3/4 circle and Word window.
Other: Floral Fusion die in the Big Shot.

I would love to know what you think!


Kate x

Perfect Plum Birthday

I love purple but I've always found it a difficult colour to use creatively. So I set myself a little challenge to use a Perfect Plum Ink pad that had been sitting in my drawer untouched for too long!
Here's the result:

 

Supplies used:

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Grey,.
Patterned Paper: Subtles Paper Stack, Newsprint DSP
Stamps: Apple Blossoms (Hostess), On your Birthday
Ink: Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi, Basic Grey.
Punches: Word Window, Scallop Square
Other: WW 1/4 inch grograin ribbon, Rhinestone, Dimensional dots.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

xx Kate

Baja notecard

I've been wanting to try monogrammed note cards for a while. I think a set of them would make a really nice little gift for someone. So when Cameron received a package in the mail for his birthday I figured it was a great time to give it a try!

I found a new challenge site through Danielle Daws blog called jac-inks Papercraft Challenges.
I used their neutral colour scheme to get started on my note card.

 

I took the photo at night so it's not the best unfortunately. But I am very pleased with how the card came out and I'll be making more in future for sure! 

Supplies:

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Patterned paper: Love Letter
Stamp Sets: Notes and Details, Apple Blossoms, Broadsheet Alphabet, Tiny Tags.
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze
Punches: Scallop Circle, 13/8 circle, jewelry tag.
Hemp Twine.

Here's the challenge info if you'd like to have a go:

 You can use as many neutrals as you like plus 1 other colour.

It's our wedding anniversary today so I need to get a move on and get the kids stuff packed so we can drop them off at my parents for the night. Yipppeeee!!!

Love Love Love

Have you heard that catchy new song on the radio and TV 2 ads by New Zealand band Avalanche City?
I can't seem to get it out of my head! You have to check out the video (just click on the link) it totally appeals to paper crafters - see if you can figure out why!

So here are some more love inspired cards for you today:

 

This card was a stamp club project by the delightful Bron Heslop . I couldn't make to January stamp club as we were away camping that week but Bron put together a little take-out kit for me so that I could complete the projects later. I didn't have the Valentine Defined stamp set that she used on her card so I pulled out a new arrival - Bliss - one of the gorgeous new Sale-a-bration sets. Oh how I LOVE this set, it is just my style!

I changed the card up - stamping a background pattern in Versamark ink, sponging and distressing edges to 'age' it up a bit. It came together very quickly as Bron had pre-cut all the pieces for me. I stamped one of the heart images from the Sweethearts set with Cherry Cobbler, punched with the heart punch and inserted a treat cup. I finished it off by stamping 'Bliss' in the right hand corner using Early Espresso ink. Yum!

This little pink number is the same basic design as yesterdays card. I've just swapped the reds for pinks, changed the ribbon to Very Vanilla satin and used a heart punch out for my love you sentiment. So simple.

 

I just loved the polka dot patterned paper from the little box we made in class so I had to try it out on a basic card. This looks beautiful as part of a set with the chocolate box. That Real Red ribbon ties such lovely firm bows. Stamp sets are Sweethearts and Teeny Tiny sentiments and the paper comes from the Love Letter pack.

If you have any questions at all about any of the cards on my blog or would like to set a date to make some yourself please get in touch - I love getting emails!

Thanks so much to the girls who commented on my first post back - I thought for sure that nobody would be reading anymore as it's been such a long time between drinks!

I'll be back tomorrow - this time with a new challenge blog entry. Boy it's been a while since I did one of those =)

Happy Friday!

xx Kate

I'm back!

** Warning bumper catch up post ahead! Scroll down if you are only here for photos. **

Hi and welcome to the start of my blogging year!

I've had some amazing time off with my family as we enjoyed a fabulous 6 week break from School and Stamping! I did lots of other things but nothing in the way of card making I'm afraid!

I read about 10 books - indulging in my increasing love for anything involving Vampires. That non-human lifesyle is just so fascinating!

I did one of those gigantic thousand piece puzzles where you have no idea what the picture is - just a little clue. That was fun and quite addictive actually!

I started a Hairy Maclary Cross Stitch that Mum bought me for Christmas and I intend to put that up in Cams room once it's done. I had forgotten just how long the smallest bit of Cross Stitch takes! Card making is definitely quicker and more immediately satisfying!!

We camped for a week at Ahipara - at the bottom end of 90 Mile Beach. It went much better than expected. We had no rain the whole week, didn't lose Cameron once and nobody got sun burnt even though we spent a lot of time outdoors!

We purchased a key to the School pool and although we haven't used it much in the last few weeks we have still been up there a lot. This has been brilliant for both cooling off on hot days and improving all the Childrens water confidence.

Last week I kicked the stamping year off with a Valentines themed class. Oh it was fun! It really revitalized my love for both Teaching and Stamping! I hope to run two classes a month here at home this year as well as classes and workshops in other peoples homes and workplaces! I'll also be doing more local markets, selling items online through my Facebook page and really trying to get myself out there so that I don't have to go back to work!

Also, surprisingly and unexpectedly the last two months have seen two wonderful ladies join my little Stampin' Up! family. Cathy and Jo had both been coming to my classes for a while, had become hooked on Stampin' Up! products and decided that it was worthwhile getting the demonstrator discount to set themselves up properly with everything they needed! The starter kit is incredibly good value for money and is almost completely customizable. So I now have two hobby demonstrators under my wings who I am very much looking forward to getting to know better.

Anyway enough about me! I bet you'd really like to see what we made at last weeks class right?

 

We made the gorgeous little box first to ease the girls in for the night! I got the basic box template from Carla Brasher (The Southern Stamper) and it's just the perfect size for a 3 pack of Ferrero Rocher chocolates!

Supplies (which can all be ordered through me) - 

Cardstock: Crumb Cake and Real Red

Patterned Paper: Love Letter

Punches used: Scallop circle, 13/8 circle, small heart.

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Ink: Early Espresso

Ribbon: Real Red Grosgrain

Rhinestones and window sheet.

Then we made this little beauty using the same colours as the box above but a few extra supplies!
Stamp Set: Sweetheart, Teeny Tiny Sentiments.
Ink: Real Red and Early Espresso
Punches: Full Heart, Word window, Scallop square (cut down to frame Word window), mini heart.
Other Supplies -
1/2 inch Chantilly crochet trim, mini vintage tags and vintage trinkets ( all from the Summer Mini Catalogue).
Heart Treat cups, pearls.


I'll be back soon with more love inspired projects! I LOVE love (such a romantic) and any reason to celebrate it is good enough for me!

Kate xx