my ramblings

maya road projects for CHA-S 2008

Maya Road is making some gorgeous stamps, both in sets and single stamps (which are called singletons). You can see the stamp sets (including new CHA releases) in the Maya Road CHA-S Catalog.

A couple of my favourites have features in some of my projects which have gone to CHA.

I've used owl stamp (below) on a few little projects.

The tiny owl stamp and the 'what a hoot' have been used below, with Pink Paisley paper on the background.

The owl stamped on acetate and coloured and mounted on a round tag with Scenic Route paper:

These owls were stamped on linen fabric then embroidered:

And while I was making little fabric hanging ornaments, I used the new Maya Road cupcake singleton stamp for these:

I love cupcakes. And now Maya Road have several new cupcake themed products. There's the stamp (which I mentioned above), but also there's

• a cupcake stamp set (with six cupcake stamps plus more),
• a cupcake chipboard album,
• cupcake rubons sheets,
• a cupcake sheer ribbon,
• a cupcakes chipboard set and
• a cupcake coaster album.

Below I've used a chipboard cupcake shape from the cupcake coaster album as the base for the felt cupcake below. This book is a Maya Road sheer tab binder book, which I covered with fabric slip cover which I sewed.

And a few pages from inside my cupcake book. This book holds most of my cupcake secrets, the recipes, the frostings, the fun stuff. Being the binder style book, I'll be able to add more pages as I go along, with more fun ideas.

This book was lots of fun to make.

That's all for today, I'll gather some more photos of my Maya Road projects and post very soon.

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona x

Easter craft project #3 and a DCM challenge card

The mid week challenge over at the Daring Cardmakers blog is "These are a few of my favourite things" set by Mel. We had to use one of Mel's favourite things on our card (embroidery cotton/thread, buttons, felt or fabric) and combine it with one of our own favourite things.

This is the card I made.

I thought it would make another good Easter project, so here we go...

Materials: Urban Lily Secret Keeper Cards, pattern paper (I've used new Paper Salon KN Easter Sorbet paper), cardstock, embellishments (felt ribbon, buttons, flowers, brads, etc) and greetings stamp for the inside of the card (I've used some new Paper Salon Easter stamps which I've just received).

Just case you haven't seen them, this is what an Urban Lily Secret Keeper card looks like when it's open. They are very versatile, but I find they make fun interactive cards.

1.  Cut an oval/egg shape from pattern paper. Make sure it will cover the UL Secret Keeper card if you are using one, or that it covers whatever base card you will be putting this on. If you are using pattern paper, you may wish to back it with some cardstock to make the card a little more sturdy. I've cut another egg shape from yellow cardstock. Glue the paper and cardstock together.

2. Cut the egg in half. I've used a zig-zag line to {hopefully} resemble a cracked egg on my finished card. See my other sample below where I've just cut straight across the egg.

3.  Embellish the egg. I've used felt ribbon which I've attached to the egg by sewing buttons onto the egg and have used brads through the felt flowers.

Make sure your cracked egg can still 're-join' when the card is closed. I actually removed the larger green flowers (third row from the top) and left the smaller ones, as my egg wasn't closing properly.

4.  Stamp your greeting to the inside of the UL Secret Keeper Card. As the surface of the card is shiny, use StazOn ink. I've just received this gorgeous little Easter stamp set from Paper Salon, so was very keen to use it.

Add some colour with doodling. I've used Sharpie pens for this, again they are a permanent marker suitable for shiny surfaces.

5.  Turn your egg over, matching the two sides. Position the closed Urban Lily Secret Keeper card and glue in place. Leave the glue to dry before opening and closing the card.

And it's finished. Here it is closed...

and opened.

This is another Easter egg card which I made. This was a bit simpler. I cut the egg in half and added flowers around the edge before gluing to the Urban Lily Secret Keeper card.

And this one open.

Thanks for visiting. Hope you're having a great week.

Tamar has suggested I make Easter bonnets next... mmm will have to see if I have enough time before Easter.

Till next time.

Cheers

Fiona

A few cards to share...

Over the last couple of weeks I've received a few good things in the mail (that is, they were not bills).

First to arrive was the PaperCrafts "Paper Crafting with Photos" magazine from the US. I was so excited to have two projects included this edition {extra excited in fact as this is my first time published overseas}.

Here's one of my projects from Paper Crafting with Photos with our gorgeous little bunnies. {papers are from the KN Hip Hip Hooray collection by Paper Salon}.

Last week Stamping and Papercraft magazine arrived in the post. I have a set of cards/tag in this edition (vol 13 no 6). This is another first for me, first time published in this magazine (and my tag is on the cover). Here is the set, there are how-to instructions in the magazine for each card. Love this paper collection from Paper Salon, its called Prestine {Paper Salon is available from Bumblebee Crafts here in Australia}.

So with Easter just around the corner {yes, the chocolate Easter eggs have taken over the supermarkets}, I'll be sharing a few Easter projects here on my blog very soon, so stay tuned.

And my Easter loving buddy, Mel, has already sent me an Easter goodie bag. I haven't taken photos of it yet, but I will and share the very cute things that she sent me. Thanks Mel :-)

That's all for today. Thanks for visiting. Hope you have a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

more Maya Road projects and some new CHA products

Just thought I'd share a few more Maya Road projects with some of the new products being released at CHA.

Following is a birthday/anniversary reminder book created with a Maya Road Scalloped Chipboard book. I've used a combination of stamps from the Make A Date Clear Stamp set and the Sealed with a Kiss Clear Stamp set both from Maya Road. The cover of this book has three Textured Cord Blossoms from the new Trinkets Collection. All these products can be seen in the Maya Road CHA-W 2008 catalog.

Close ups of those gorgeous new Textured Cord Blossoms....

An inside page of the book...

Next book uses the Maya Road Rectangle Chipboard Banner Book as its base. Its covered with felt and decorated with Velvet Blossoms and gathered Ric Rac. The title is created with the Noah Alphabet Clear Stamps.

New Trinkets Ribbon, from, you guessed it, the Maya Road Trinkets Collection (can you tell I love this new collection).

This book documents my soft toy making. Starting with Bunny which I made sometime during my primary school days, there is a little story of some of my favourite toys I've created.

And finally, the Maya Road Design Team girls created a canvas to display at the MR Booth. Mine follows. All the DT girls canvases can be seen at the MR DT Blog.

Some new Sheer Ribbon:

Maya Road Microchip Foundations Buttons:

And looking around at some new things being released at CHA, these are some of the things I'm loving...

• Scenic Route: Grafton, Providence and Lynden collections.
• Luxe Designs: Cashmere Sweater II,  Classic Black II, Capris and Flip Flop collections, as well as some gorgeous stamps.
• Sassafras Lass: view the whole release HERE. Love the Serendipity "Sunshine Lollipop" and the new buttons and blossoms.
• Piggy Tales: new products can be seen HERE. Piggy Tales is now using recycled paper for their paper collections.
• Paper Salon: new products are appearing on the DT Blog. A couple of favourites of mine are the GRAB BAGS (full of coordinating embellishments) and the Designer Labels.

That's about all to share today. Hope you have a great week. Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona

Paper Salon CHA-W 2008 sneak peeks

Paper Salon has some gorgeous new projects being released at CHA-W very soon. They can be seen over at the PAPER SALON BLOG. Be sure to keep checking back there as new things are being added every couple of days.

I just have to share a couple of my favourites...

Just in time for Easter there's the new KN Sorbet Easter & PS Hoppy Easter Tailored Tin being released. These co-ordinate with the Sorbet collection released at the end of last year. I just have to share two papers which will be so cute for all those Easter projects... Glitter Bunnies and Thermography Chicks (there are six new double-sided papers in this set, as well as die-cut stickers and stamps, so make sure you peek at the Paper Salon blog to see them all)

Another new product for Paper Salon ... Lovely Lace 12x12 double-sided die-cut papers. They have die cut holes around the edges perfect for threading some beautiful ribbon and so much more... These will be available in four colour collections. Take a look at the Paper Salon Blog for some Lovely Lace projects by the design team girls.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you're having a great day.

Cheers

Fiona

RAK winners and some Christmas projects

Thank you ladies for sharing your Christmas traditions in my last post. I've loved reading what everyone does for Christmas... there are lots of different festive activities, but we all seem to enjoy this time with family and friends.

Not a lot to share from me this time. I've been making these little Christmas cards with Maya Road ribbon and felt, sewn onto small cards.

I had a couple of projects in the latest Scrapbooking Memories. First one is the layout below using Piggy Tales papers, Maya Road sheer letters and Autumn Leaves stamps.

 

The second project in SM was a card using Urban Lily Oh So Merry paper and a stamp from Autumn Leaves.

 

The gingerbread for the gingerbread houses has been made. I did share my recipe last year... Robyn S who left me a comment reminded me of this fact. Thanks Robyn. The recipe can be found HERE, along with the icing to hold the house together. The Nordicware Gingerbread House Mold which I use to make the pieces for the house can be found at Alfresco Emporium.

Now, onto the RAK winners of the little Maya Road people keychains (drawn randomly, in no particular order)....

Trace G: "My favorite tradition is driving an hour and a half to go find the perfect Christmas tree and then cut it down ourselves. The day also includes a sleigh ride, hot chocolate, and some cookies. Those reindeer are beyond adorable.
Happy holidays"

Julia: "My favourite tradition is decorating our Christmas tree while watching Carols by Candlelight and all singing along at the top of our voices."

Robyn S: "I love everything about Christmas. I now make gingerbread thanks to your gingerbread recipe you posted last year. This is a tradition I am starting. Thank you, love you blog."

Yvette: "Our favourite tradition is having the kid's photo taken with Santa. Not such a big deal, except the *children* involved are now 23, 20 and nearly 17! We are off to see the big fella tomorrow night and the kids are so excited!"

Thanks again to everyone who left me a comment.

Hope you're all having a festive week.

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona

x

another card challenge for World Card Making Day

There's another card challenge over at the Paper Salon World Card Making Day Blog. Create a card or tag for the holiday season, post it online and enter over at the blog. Easy!

Have a great week.

Cheers

Fiona x

Tarisota's September Collection : Spring Sojourn

This post is long overdue...

I was thrilled when Tamar asked me to be the September guest designer for Tarisota a little while back. Just in time for my favourite season, the SPRING SOJOURN collection was full of colour with Urban Lily and Tinkering Ink papers mixed with the textures of matching fabrics and ribbons. The Tarisota designers created beautiful projects which can be seen in the Tarisota gallery. And the latest Tarisota Talk can be viewed HERE.

Here's my projects created from the kit, more details can be seen in the Tarisota gallery.

This layout below was a one of those "spur of the moment" ones. Emily plays the drums and percussion, and lately she walks around the house stamping her feet, tapping her fingers or clapping her hands... in perfect beat... very loudly, (and she's usually singing as well). And it drives me crazy. I'm reluctant to tell her stop (trying to be the good encouraging mother, etc, etc) but sometimes I just have to tell her to give is a break (particularly when she's stomping in her school shoes on the wooden floor boards standing right next to me). Anyway, that's what this layout is about.

Next layout just documents our front garden in spring. I seem to take the same photos every September of our freesias which carpet our front garden. They are self sewn, starting out a few years back with just a few little bulbs. They are the old fashioned freesias which smell so sweet. On a warm spring day, the scent is beautiful.

This little blank book is included in the kit. It is very cute, a small chipboard book with plastic sleeves.

And some cards. I used StazOn in to stamp on the acrylic flower and heart.

Thanks for visiting.

Have a great week.

Cheers

Fiona x

Paper Salon CHA-S 07 sneak peeks

Paper Salon has some gorgeous new papers and stamps coming out at CHA-S, as well as some new scrapelastic and embellishments. More new product sneak peeks have been added to the Paper Salon blog over the last few days.

I've finished my projects for the Paper Salon CHA stand now. Here's a peek at some cards I've been creating.

   

Above: stamps and papers from the new KN Hip-hip-hooray collection, being released at CHA-S 07. The pink tag on the left is one of the new shimmer cardstock tags in the Outer Wear range also being released.

 

Above: stamps used on the two above cards are from the new clear Tailored Tins sets being released in a few weeks. Peace on Earth Tailored Tin stamps used on the left, and Geometry Tailored Tin stamp set on the right.

 

Above: Stamps from Sizzle Tailored Tin set and Invitation Builder Tailored Tin set.

Above: Stamps from Sizzle Tailored Tin set with a wood mounted Paper Salon "thank you" stamp.

 

Above: paper on the 'friends' card from the new KN Hip-hip-hooray collection. All stamps from the All Girl Tailored Tin set. Scrapelastic has been used on the 'friends' card.

It has been really nice getting back into some card making.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a great week.

Fiona x