Hawaii birthday…

I have been a little slack posting but have been busy crafting (made 50 pairs of earrings this weeknd using my new 1 step looper) and going to a craft show. I have also had a couple of craft days with lovely friends, instead of crafting together we have changed the format so one teaches the other a new project. Such fun. Mine is going to be for mothers day so will post later.

My parents LOOOOOVE Hawaii.  Dad has also acquired many ukes and we now have some lovely Hawaiian friends from the uke circut. Dad’s birthday is coming up next week and I suspect uke 7 (I think) will be acquired from a special friend, and talented uke maker, Joe, owner (with the lovely Kristen) of Kanilea Ukulele.

I have made mini ukes (for the uke no. 2 that did not arrive in time for xmas), uke themed stepper cards and cards with every hawaiian islands sticker I can find in Brisbane.  All I could find this time was a 4 Hawaiian dancers.  But after the recent craft show doing stencilling I was inspired.

I cut the palm trees layers using my baby cricut and the stretch your imagination Cartridge, assembled.  I used the negative to stencil trees, using two shades of green for the leaves and two brown for the trunk so it looked like it had rings.  Layered on the cricut palm trees and coloured the palm leaves with copics to match.  Used some distress ink to create the sand,  added the hawaiin dances and voila!

Aloha,

Katrina

Quick wedding gift

I wanted to find something, not expensive to make or post but which would show some new overseas friends that we were thinking of them on their wedding day. Voila i found this great blog which is another variation to my congratulations decorated banner. Since I have used my stash of congratulations I thought perfect!

I raided my stash to find everything I needed except the right colour ring to join everything together and a crop a dile. But thats ok mum used to do leatherwork so dad will punch the holes for me. I was very impressed, in about 30 minutes I was done. This time included making a wedding card to include so they can see what to do with the gift.

Elegant on the outside and on the inside showing a little character of the bride (photographer) and groom (loves computer games, also a professional muso but that was too easy!). Phew I finally used that wedding scrapbooking paper I have had in the pile for 5 years and the vintage decoupage bride and groom.

Off to see dad to get the holes punched and buy a silver large ring.

Happy crafting,

Katrina

Everywhere I see christmas trees

So the family christmas card has been handmade by us for over 20 years.  Each year we must come up with  something a little better and a little different.  Yes there are expectations from those that receive them but it is also fun.  Sometimes I get an idea, sometimes mum likes bits and pieces she has seen in my cardmaking magazines.  Sometimes I need to do two designs as Dad decrees they are a bit cutesy for business use.  After quite a bit of playing around test designs were provided to the family for approval. Yes its serious business!

This year I was inspired by this tutorial on making a folded xmas tree from a half circle.  Great I though, I can use the cricut to cut the circles.   I was also keen to destash particularly brads.  I did have to buy some xmas paper with smaller designs but I did economise by choosing a pad which worked for these and our gingerbreads plus the 12 days of xmas tags I still need to make. 

Usually I split up the construction tasks between myself and mum but as I am not working and she is, its all me.  I have completed 1/4, 1/4 need some stamping, bases are 90% made for the balance of our 120 odd xmas cards.  A bit of stamping, colouring and attach our handmade stickers to the back and I will be done. Hope you like them.  I am quietly in love with every one.  

 

Happy crafting

Katrina

Gingerbread people

So today was the day, I had base coated the remaining 38 gingerbread, cut 80 sets of clothes (3 goes to get the design right so I could use the cricut to cut out, still needed a small trim as I went but much easier than doing all by hand), raided the stash for ribbon, bling, buttons and anytng else we could use for decoration.

I ended up using a glue stick rather than the xyron after some advice from a friend to attach the clothes and pressed flat with my bone folder.  It took mum and I about 5 hours to dress and bling all of them.  Great to do a far bit of destashing.  They are all resting in a box until they are gifted to the lucky recipients safely layered with greaseproof.  Not what we had actually planned to do today but pleased to get this job done.

 
Happy crafting

Katrina

Easy beauty products to make for Christmas gifts

So earlier this year I took my bestie along to a cosmetic and soap making course.  Both of us love handmade things – making and using.  We have made two batches of soap thus far and it is better to do in pairs so you don’t forget anything.

But as I am currently not working and she is I have been experimenting with a few other beauty items – lotion bars, body scrubs and lip balms.  Dr Google is great for finding different idea’s of how to do this.

Here are the ones I have selected for 3 things, simple clear instructions, minimal ingredients and one pot makes.

• Lip Balm – I used coconut oil instead of jojoba as I have an allergy, added peppermint essential oil and a little bit of brown lipstick for colour
• Lotion Bars – my favourite is to use beeswax, olive oil and coconut oil and put into either ice-trays (plain or shaped) or mini muffin tins (don’t worry they pop out once cooled).  Ice-cube ones can be stacked in a glass jar and the mini muffins fit into those little plastic one serve sauce containers you can buy at the supermarket.  If you remember add some essential oil I have found around 12 drops per batch is about right.
• Body scrubs – I find sugar great, doesn’t sting after shaving and disappears down the drain instead of remaining on the shower floor.

You can reuse your old containers or buy some new at the cheap/thrift shop or when you buy the ingredients from a speciality store.  Best of all these are not expensive to make and can be made at the last minute if needed!

Happy crafting

Katrina

Electronic die cutting tip

OK I am currently cutting 85 sets of clothes for gingerbread decorations.  Took a little fiddling but have managed to get it right with my cricut so I do not have to cut by hand (phew!).

As I am not working at the moment but still wanting to get ahead with my Christmas crafts I am trying to be extra thrifty.  My big discovery… wait for it, 3m edge lock tape.   I might be behind the game but I have not seen this tip anywhere.

Use a 2 inch piece top and bottom of your paper (I have 6×12 inch matter so if you have a bigger one perhaps each corner) and if using chipboard each corner to hold in place.  Much better than glue sticking the mats and no more discarding once have been cut up badly.

Well back to it… only 65 sets to go..

Happy crafting

Katrina

Wooden christmas decorations

Well as I am still looking for a new job I thought I would get stuck in to the christmas craft projects,  in my christmas box I found wooden decorations and laser cut shapes.  Aah that’s right a friend gave me a chipboard christmas ornament with laser cut shapes painted in gold and tied with a ribbon.  So what will I do.  Paint them, add the laser cut shapes painted in antique gold and when I ran out, added some bling.

I also had two gingerbread garland with 5 gingerbread people.  Mum saw it and asked how many I had. Mmm not enough she said, she had 40 staff.  So off I went to kaiser craft and yes, craft gods, thank you, they had enough to get to 40 and they were on sale.  So a sample was made and provided for approval.

And here they are, decorated front and back.  Approved!  So 10 left to undercoat and need to play with the cricut to see if I can cut the clothes using it instead of by hand.  So, go mum, it was a garland but they look great as individual christmas decorations.

Happy crafting

Katrina

Quick christmas cards – design then repeat!

Currently I am churning out christmas cards for a local homeless charity op shop to sell to raise new funds to build new accommodation.  I am taking this opportunity to start destashing but also come up with some simple elegant angel policy compliant cards that can be made quickly and sold for a reasonable price.

Bit like my family christmas cards I like to create a design that I can then repeat quickly.  It is great to have beautifully designed cards but when you are making 150, even starting in October its a lot of work.

So I bought a 12×12 paper with christmas messages from kaisercraft and cut it up,  then die cut a stack of christmas trees with my cricut, found some green pattern paper and started tearing.  Top tip with tearing, tear on the wrong side facing you and toward you and you will not end up with white bits!  Assemble, tidy up the edges and add some bling.

Happy crafting

Katrina

Using chipboard albums to create an extra special card

I have been making a lot of chipboard and mdf albums into special birthday and occasion cards. I started with two sets of mdf congratulations to make as memento for two close friends weddings where they requested no gifts then 10 60th birthday albums and now a baby one.  Once you get started you will be hooked!

There are a few tips floating around when working with these albums but here are mine:

• Do choose a theme then pull out from your stash everything you have that relates.
• Do buy a good quality spray adhesive to attach the paper to the base. It will attach firmly within five minutes and be smooth. I used 3M Super 77 Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive and would definately buy it again.
• Layout your chosen papers numbering the back of each paper and the corresponding base. After you have taken the time you do not want to attach the wrong ones.
• Use a scalpel to cut around the edge once you have stuck it down, one side at a time.
• If you cut too much or tear the paper do not worry use a sanding block it will create a tear line and smooth your paper into the colour you painted around the edge.
• If you nick the edge use coloured pens to blend, they are much easier to manage than paint.
• When choosing your embellishments work out where to place then make sure to lay each piece on top of each other before attaching, ideally you want the finished pages to sit evenly not sit up on one side.
• Use a scalpel to push through the paper and expose the hole, do not worry about being too neat the ring will cover these.
• Do not forget to leave a space to write on the card or at least add a small open envelope that you can insert a personal message or if you are doing a word, make a note card to go in the box.
• Paper or bakers twine is best to hold garlands together or metal hinged rings for album cards but that does not mean you cannot add a ribbon.
• Buy or make a small box to put your creation in. Nestle it in some tissue paper because it is your gift to the recipient.

Here are photos of the rest of the album to give you a few ideas.

Hanging christmas cards

A call went out from some lovely ladies who make up christmas stockings for Aussie soldiers serving abroad. Mum made the christmas stockings and I made a few cards. The requirements – must be 1/4 of an A4 sized page and not folded. A challenge indeed as not christmas cards but postcards and no sparkle, glitter or metal of any kind was to be used. Needed to be for men and women so no cutsey ones would suit.

Well I wanted to do something different and make sure they could be displayed. So how could they be displayed when must be flat? Of course, I thought after many hours pondering they could be decorations on the tree as well as a card. So I started by cutting a printed xmas paper to cover the front and wrap around to the back to give a little hint of colour. Then added chipboard embellishments, printed journal cards and stickers. Hole punched the top and threaded with some bakers twine. Here are the finished results.

I love this design so much I am going to use for our family christmas cards this year. Well better get started!

Happy crafting
Kat