Cards using Darkroom Door Viva La Flora Paper Collection

As promised a couple of weeks ago, here are the cards created using the Darkroom Door Viva La Flora Paper Collection

Lots of photos following:

I love the elegance of these black and white photo chips and filmstrips.  The cards are so easy to make using these Darkroom Door products.

There are still some different paper collections that I need to try out, so stay tuned!  My box of cards is becoming quite full, and it is great to be able to just grab one when required.

Do you keep a supply of cards on hand?  Shop bought or Handmade?

Judy

Elf Workshop Update

Last Saturday I had a workshop with 6 lovely ladies in Narrandera.  They were making Cat 'n Cart Crafts Christmas Elf.  This is a cute pattern, and the finished project is a nice addition to your Christmas décor.  The following photo shows the finished elves from Rachel & Sharyn

Stages  - they look a little like alien beings here .....

The six finished elves - the girls did such a good job, great variety of colour and personality in each of the elves. 

It was a really fun day, and I am pleased to say they have requested another workshop next month.  They want to make the Gingerbread Men from the class in Leeton ... more kits to make. 

Keep warm

Judy

Christmas In July workshop

I had my first "Christmas In July" workshop today.  It was great fun, with some lovely ladies.

Here are a few photos of the finished gingerbreads, they all did such a good job.

Not too messy?

I was too busy working to take more photos, but everyone was happy with their finished gingers and we finished on time, bonus.

Now to prepare kits for the next workshop, on Saturday, my Christmas Elf

Busy times

Judy

Cards using Darkroom Door Wilderness Paper Collections

I am a huge fan of Darkroom Door stamps and Paper Collections.  They have a great range which includes photochips, photobooth, filmstrips and wordstrips.

The following cards were created using the Wilderness Paper Collection.  (Available in store)

Great cards for any occasion.  The brayered look on embossed background gives the card a vintage look (I think)

Playing with the Viva La Flora Paper Collection next

Until then

Judy

A Simple Card

I had posted on my facebook page that this pack of buttons called "Flowers for Hope" would be great to use for card-makers or scrap-bookers.

Well they are - a sweet and simple little card

How easy it is give a handmade card these days.

Update:  I have just fixed the comment problem to allow anyone to make a comment (after moderation). My settings had somehow reverted back to needing a specific account before you could leave a comment.  My apologies to my followers that had tried to leave a comment.

Take care

Judy

Missing Blogger Found

Have you seen the news?  Missing Blogger Found - Alive and Well   (That's Me)

I know I have been busy however I cannot believe that it has been over a month since I last posted. A lot has been happening, however unfortunately not as much craft as I would like.

My on-line store has had a face lift, going from 10 year old country colours and layout to a nice fresh modern look.  Check it out  Cat 'n Cart Crafts.  Still a couple of little teething problems, especially with the fonts I had previously used to describe the products.  To change all these is a extremely slow process as there are over 5,000 products in store ..... I am probably a fifth of the way through ....

I have set up a page for Cat 'n Cart Crafts in Facebook, which is another learning curve I am undertaking.  I would really LOVE for you to visit and like my page.  I will work out how to include the facebook like icon on the blog (soon).  I think I need a teenager to assist me in the social media aspect of advertising.

Anyway, down to craft.  I am teaching a "Christmas In July" workshop at Two Friends in Leeton NSW next Wednesday 15th July.  A lot of preparation has gone into this event, samples, kits, instructions etc.   It is going to be a fun event and the little felt gingerbread men are so cute.  I have made them before, so to use them for a workshop will be great

This is the sample I have made for the workshop -

Quick, easy and sweet, I hope the workshop participants like them, wish me luck.

Lots of new stamps have arrived in store, from Darkroom Door, so of course I have to try them out, he he.  Stayed tuned, and hopefully it will not be another 5 weeks before my next post.

Stay warm
Judy

Busy, Busy, Busy

Just like everyone else, I have been really busy.  Markets and Quilt Shows leave little time for actual crafting and then this weekend, I spent both days, updating my online store.

However, because my blog has been neglected, I thought I would share a joke (real life story)!

Have a great week
Judy

Advance Notice - Leeton Quilt Exhibition

The 2015 Leeton Quilt and Patchwork exhibition is only two weeks away.  To be held on the weekend of the 23rd and 24th May at Madonna Place, Wade Avenue, Leeton

As well as all the wonderful quilts on display, there will be trade tables for you to be able to source fabric, BUTTONS, patterns and all the tools you need to help make your quilt.

I have been lucky enough to be invited to have a trade table, so Cat 'n Cart Crafts will be there with lots of buttons, Christmas, Tiny, Novelty, Wooden.

If you live local and you wish for me to bring something in particular for you, just leave a comment below and I will be happy to help

Judy

Gingerbread Trio

Looking through my blog I came across a set of gingerbreads that I made back in 2011 - see post here

I remembered how cute they were, so I dug out the pattern and started again.  

Looking back,  my photography has not improved at all, ha ha.

The first shot was taken in daylight while the latest one was taken inside with a flash .

I wish I was looking at the original photo when I made the second set, even though it is 4 years apart, I used practically the same checked fabrics.  The felt was darker this time around, and cinnamon was rubbed into the felt, but other than that, very similar.

Closeups of each of the gingers following

Still very cute and yummy

Judy

Ginger and reindeer

It is never to early to start crafting for Christmas, right?

Felt gingerbread man with wreath and little reindeer

I love making gingerbread men, you can make them smell delicious.. this one has cinnamon rubbed into the felt as well as a little dash of gingerbread scented oil, yum!

I think the reindeer at his side, just balances the gingerbread man off.

Judy

Two little card finishes

These two cards are a result of just playing with embossing folders and the brayer.

Pink daisies

I only used half the "daisy dreams" embossing folder, and used a edge punch for the border. Bird and flower are Martha Stewart stickers

Brown embossed card

I brayered the embossed card with ink and then cut it into two sections.  Mounted it on Kraft card.  Threaded a soft blue chiffon ribbon through and added the card stock butterflies.  I like this card

In future I will take the names of the embossing folders and ink I used so that I can document the information accurately.  Unfortunately these are just play pieces and I didn't take any notes, oops.

Judy

Anzac Day

Ode graphic from here

The Ode is a traditional recitation on Anzac Day April 25th in Australia

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Judy

Felt Poppies for Anzac Day

It is only in recent years that people have been wearing poppies for Anzac Day - they are usually only worn on Remembrance Day in November.

While I was in town yesterday, I saw a lady wearing a lovely knitted poppy brooch, and thought I would try and make one out of felt to wear to tomorrow's commemorative service. 

Out of one square of felt I was able to make five felt poppy brooches.

These were quickly made, by cutting out a 5 petal flower shape in two different sizes.  I sewed a black button to the centre of the smaller flower and then wrapped black feathers wool around the button to give the appearance of the stamens.  The larger flower shape was slightly gathered before sewing the smaller shape to it.

For ease of wear, I just sewed a little safety pin to the back of the felt flower

As Rosemary is the normal floral tribute for remembrance on Anzac Day I thought maybe I could combine the two, and add a sprig of rosemary behind the felt poppy

I will be sharing the felt poppy brooches with my sisters and friends.

Check out this link here to see the fantastic handmade poppies (over 200,000) in Melbourne

Anzac Day - On the 25th of April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out the capture the Gallipoli peninsula.  These became known as the Anzacs and April 25th quickly became the day that Australians remembered the sacrifices of all those that have died in military operations.

Judy

Another Kaleidacolor Card

Still playing with the Kaleidacolor ink pad - this time using a Darkroom Door stamp

If possible this card is even simpler than the last post - I once again used my Brayer and the Caribbean Sea Kaleidacolor Ink Pad and this time just rolled the ink over white card stock.

Then using the new Darkroom Door Fishing Photo Stamp in Memento Black Tuxedo.

Another different version of the same technique, and same stamp.  I like how it seems as though the sun is coming through on this card - also notice I took out the background shoreline.

I think I will be getting a lot of fun out of these ink pads.  I have approximately 20 different Kaleidacolor Ink Pads in store.... that is a lot of playing!

Judy

Kaleidacolor Card

I couldn't wait to try out the new Kaleidacolor Ink Pads that I have in store ...

 I embossed white card stock with the Couture Creations Island Paradise embossing folder, Then using my brayer I rolled over the embossed card stock using the Caribbean Sea Kaleidacolor Ink pad to create this multi coloured card.  The "enchanted" word so fits this scene, and it is a word from a Darkroom Door word strip, I am unsure of which one.

What do you think, do you like the way the multi-coloured ink pad looks over the embossing?

Judy

Baby cards

Making some simple baby cards, just by using ink pads and stamps.  Love how these turned out

I used the Darkroom Door Hello Baby rubber stamp set - fabulous detail in these stamps

Memento Angel Pink, New Sprout & Summer Sky ink pads were used for the background

The teddy bear, pram and saying were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black

All the above products are available in store

Judy

Wooden Spool Crafts

Before Christmas I purchased some large wooden spools from the USA - I had a lot of trouble trying to source them in Australia, so I purchased in bulk so that I could add them to my online store.

Today I played with lots of different sized wooden spools, but firstly the new larger size

Pixies

The above photo shows the size and the shape of the new larger spools which I have added to the online store.  They would also be great for storing twine, cord, embroidery thread and ribbon.

The wooden balls for the heads were pre-printed wooden balls that have been in my stash for ages.

More pixies, this time using a variety of different sized spools

Aren't the above faces, mischievous?

In the packet of pre-printed wooden balls there were cat and dog faces, well, I found a use for the cat faces, still working on what to make with the dog faces

I will be taking all these to my next market, on May 16th, prices for the pixies $2.00 and the cats $1.00 each

All good fun

Judy

Reindeers - As promised

OK - a day late, but it was too rainy and overcast yesterday to take any photos.  Much better day today, although I am not complaining about the rain as it was badly needed.

Four little reindeers made, although I am classifying two as Woodland Deer so that you could leave them out all year round, not just display them for Christmas

Woodland Deer 1

Woodland Deer 2

Reindeer 1

Reindeer 2

All the above reindeer / deer were made from the same pattern (Cat 'n Cart Crafts CCC0903 Reindeer), so you can certainly create your own unique look.  Each one different.

These were made using my pattern which is available in the online store for only $5.00 - 50% off

Click here to purchase the pattern  - it is available as a PDF pattern or paper pattern

Judy