One of my favourite bloggers, Nicole Derendorf, has started a weekly challenge called Festive Fridays. The idea is to create a festive card each week. Now, the first two weeks the challenge was to create Valentine’s projects but this week it was to make a Christmas card. In January! How cool to get such a good head start on Christmas for next year.

The idea is to check out the creations from the design team, use one (or more!) for inspiration and get creating. For my card, I took inspiration from Sarah Cameron’s card. I copied her layout (but flipped it), the use of a white embossed background and the sentiment banner.

I’ve used a stamp set that I purchased a while ago and had not yet used  – I dig you. This card also features both red and silver glimmer paper, the square lattice embossing folder and the scallop square die. I think it’s a super fun card for a kid at christmas time. What do you think?

I am finally back with the entries to the challenge that I set for my customers in my monthly newsletter. I decided last month that I would start a monthly challenge and the winner will receive a small prize

For June, I set the theme of ‘red’ as it was Red Nose Day on June 24th. I had five entries sent in. They were from Brooke, Courtney, Frances, Laura and Chris. Here they are;

There are elements on all these cards that I love. From Frances’ simple layout with embossed stamping, to Laura’s great use of pleated ribbon and the greeting on the inside of the a card (with a punched hole to see it!), Courtney’s great use of the Manhattan Flowers embossing folder, bling and punches, to Chris’ use of DSP, the red glitter and scalloped edge and Brooke’s fantastic combination of silver embossing, buttons and ribbons.

I didn’t think it would be so hard to choose a winner. But I had to. After much deliberation, the winner is……….

LAURA

Congrats Laura. As it was the first month for the challenge, the other girls will also be receiving a small prize for joining in.

In other news, I have been busy organising and running some classes. On Saturday morning, I taught a class focused on the Medallion stamp set and the baby wipe technique. Then Saturday afternoon we had a monthly stamp club meeting and I showed the ladies some different watercolouring techniques and stamping on candles. I will hopefully have those projects photographed soon so I can share what we made.

I have a couple of Stamp-a-Stacks this weekend and then a class coming up in a couple of weeks showcasing the Strength and Hope stamp set. I still have a couple of places left in the Strength and Hope class so if you would like to come along, please email me (funksta_nicki@yahoo.com.au) for more information. I’d love to have you join us Here is a sneak peek of the S & H cards for you to see (and to entice you!);

Thanks for stopping by and I will hopefully be back really soon

I have already had a couple of entries into a challenge I set for my customers in my monthly newsletter so I will share more details on that, and the entries, this week. If you would like to know more about the challenge, shoot me an email (funksta_nicki@yahoo.com.au) and I will send you the newsletter, which includes my upcoming class schedule.

But today, I wanted to sit down and have a play with an idea I’ve had floating around in my head for the last week or so. I’m sure variations have been done of this before, but I don’t recall ever seeing a tutorial or anything so I sat down to have a play. What I wanted to do, was create a random pattern on glossy cardstock with versamark, emboss it with clear embossing powder and then brayer over, or sponge over with ink. Now, this technique is well known as emboss resist, but the little spin I put on it, was to create my pattern using something other than stamps! Firstly I tried with glad wrap, then cellophane and lastly baking paper. 

See how the different papers and plastics, give different results. I do have a project in mind with these pieces, but I put them aside, while I had a play with Keesh’s sketch challenge for this week. Í’m sure you are wondering why I mentioned the technique, but stay with me!

The sketch;

And my entry;

Is my rambling above making any sense yet? I used the technique on my butterfly!!! I got there eventually

The colour scheme I used is Crumb Cake, Night of Navy and Marina Mist. Other features include a double bow (you can learn an easy and ‘peaceful’ way to tie this bow by watching this video on the super talented Teneale’s blog), an antique brad and some dry embossing. To be honest, I’m not totally sure that the butterfly completely matches the look of the rest of the card! What do you think. Should I change the way I’ve done the butterflies? I’d love some feedback!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I’ll hopefully be back soon

So, wanna know what I’ve been up to?

Non craft related first. Last year, I set myself a big goal to lose the weight that had slowly accumulated over the last 6-7 years. All 20kg of it! So in March last year (while I was still blogging), I changed my eating and got stuck into exercise. I’ve lost a lot since then, and also learned a heap! So by the end of last year, I had almost reached my goal and since then my weight has pretty much stabilised – it goes up and down a few kilos every few weeks, but never gets out of control! I still haven’t quite reached my goal, but am about 18kg lighter than I was at my heaviest, and soooo much fitter. Anyway, at the start of this year I decided I needed a new goal, so, this year I want to run a half marathon (21km). Having never been a runner before, this is a massive challenge for me, but if I train hard and look after myself I’m sure I can get there.

So want to know how I’m going with that goal so far? Well, when I first started exercising, I couldn’t run for a more than a minute without stopping. This year, so far, I have completed three fun runs; The half Bridges (5km – in 32:24), The Mother’s Day Classic (8km – in 50:54) and the HBF Run for A Reason (14km – in 94:24). I have been battling a couple of injuries – knee problems stemming from ITB syndrome, and tendinitis in my foot, but I am on track to do the half marathon at this years City to Surf (at the end of August). Wanna see a couple of pics;

Firstly, the dreaded before and after pics (eeekkkkkk);

I still can’t believe I ever let myself get so big! I am only just over 5 foot so 18kg makes a huge difference. Now a photo of me at the end of the 14km run!

There I am! Sorry it’s so blurry, but it’s from the photographers website.

So that’s an update on non craft related stuff. Wanna know what’s happened in my craft world! Well, top be honest, this year, not a lot! I guess I’ve been so focussed on my fitness that my crafting has kind of taken a back seat. There are only so many hours in the day! But I hope to change that!

One massive event that I did do, was a fundraiser for The Epilepsy Society of Australia, in honour of my late brother, Alec. I am hoping to do a post on just the fundraiser shortly, but the good news is, that with the help of some fabulous friends (Hanna, Amy, Mel, Jenny, Chris, Zoe, Courtney), family & some generous customers, we managed to raise $3000, to go towards research. I am hoping to run another fundraiser this year in October and will definitely update on here so stay tuned for more details on that!

Besides that, we have had our monthly stamp club meetings and enjoyed the new catalogue and minis that have come since my last updates. I am hoping to get back into the swing of classes, and just generally finding more time to craft and, of course, update on here. I do have some crafty stuff to share, but I still need to edit the photos, so as soon as that is done, I will upload and share.

Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thankyou for being so patient with me. I really do hope to find a better balance so I can fit family, work, fitness and craft into my busy life.

I love how kristapista made a snow globe and incorporated quite a few stamps from the set into it! Here is the card;

How cute hey!

Card Recipe

Stamp sets; A Holly Jolly Christmas

Cardstock; Bashful Blue, Ruby Red, Whisper White

Ink; Ruby Red, Handsome Hunter, Mellow Moss, Bashful Blue

Accessories; Circle Scissors, Polka Dot Embossing folder, Big Shot, Wide oval punch, Mellow Moss grosgrain ribbon

The final card was a quick bonus card I made for the ladies. The original design was done by Kris McIntosh, a fellow aussie demo who is on ESAD (a ning group of demonstrators that I am a part of!). She had made some simple cards using the Bella Bleu DSP and I thought the simple design was a great way to use up the hoards of DSP that we all end up with. I used the Bella Rose papers and Chocolate Chip cardstock on my card;

Card Recipe

Stamp sets; Cheer and Wishes

Cardstock; Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Bella Rose DSP

Ink; Chocolate Chip

Accessories; Crimper, 1 ¼” square punch, 1 3/8” square punch

Well that is it for my Fond Farewell card day – did you enjoy seeing all the projects? You still have a few more days to order any retiring products so please contact me if you wish to do so (funksta_nicki@yahoo.com.au).

Here is the card;

I used a Father’s Day sentiment on the card, as it is coming up in Australia really soon (September, 5^th). I’m quite pleased with how it turned out – what do you think?

Card Recipe

Stamp sets; Wanted, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Cardstock; Basic Black, Whisper White, Really Rust

Ink; Basic Black, Versamark

Accessories; Black embossing powder, embossing buddy, 1 1/4” punch, cropodile, jumbo eyelet, jumbo brad

I decided I wanted to do a jungle scene type card and this is what I came up with;

I made a similar style card (step) a couple of years ago at one of my upline’s (Andrea) card days using Crab and Co (retired stamp set) and really loved it. So I used all the same dimensions for this card and created a jungle scene. The back layer has been sponged using a tree template I cut out and the grass layers have been stamped with the Sprinkles stamp set and then torn and sponged. A few of the girls who came added some extra animals to the card (a penguin and/or a crocodile) and it looked great!

I still have a couple more projects to share from the Fond Farewell day, and I also have a heap of things to share from my weekend camp where I made 18 shoebox swap cards and some things for my upcoming  fundraiser that I am busy busy planning!

Speaking of the fundraiser, I am just working out some final things and hope to post all the details and registration form really soon, but the date is confirmed so please put SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17^th in you diary now. I would love to raise a heap of money and need your help to do so!

Card Recipe

Stamp sets; Wild About You, Sprinkles

Cardstock; Green Galore, Whisper White

Ink; Green Galore, Glorious Green, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, Brilliant Blue, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip marker

Accessories; Sponge

I love how this card turned out! When you get your hands on a new catty, see if you can find the card that inspired it and post a comment below when you do!

Card Recipe

Stamp sets: One of a Kind, Best Yet

Cardstock: Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Whisper White

Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Brocade Blue

Accessories: Silver brads, Curvy label punch, scallop edge punch, boho blossoms punch, brocade blue wide grosgrain ribbon.

Thanks for dropping by

Today’s card is again CASED from splitcoaststampers, but I have changed the colours to retiring colours. The original creator was Kristin Moore. Here it is;

This card uses Boho Backgrounds and Think Happy Thoughts which are both retiring. The card looks so simple, yet striking but is a little fiddly to put together!

Card Recipe

Stamp sets: Boho Backgrounds, Think Happy Thoughts

Cardstock: Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow

Ink: Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow, Soft Suede

Accessories: Punches galore! ( scallop circle, 1 3/8″ circle, 1 1/4″ circle, 1″ circle, 3/4″ circle, 1/2″ circle, 1/4″ circle), build-a-brad

What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?!

When I was deciding on a Nursery Necessities card to do for my Fond Farewell day, I came across some onesies on splitcoaststampers and knew they would be perfect! The cards I saw were made by kkgasper but I think she may have cased them from someone else! Sometimes it is hard to find the original creators in this crazy world of stamping!!! You can find the instructions on how to make the onesie on Lauren Meader’s blog here.

Here are the cards we made on the day – everyone made both the boy and the girl card because I couldn’t decide between them (they are both so cute);

How cute! We used the polka dots embossing folder on the front of each card to give them lots of dimension. I also have pics of the cards individually so you can see a bit more detail;

Boy;

And girl;

Nursery Necessities is another set I am really going to miss.

Card Recipe

Stamp sets: Nursery Necessities

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pixie Pink, Ballet Blue

Ink:  Pixie Pink, Pink Passion (marker), Ballet Blue, Basic Black

Accessories: Brads (non SU), 1 3/8′ circle punch, scallop circle punch, 1 3/4″ punch, word window punch, polka dot embossing folder, Big Shot

I hope you like the onesies! See you soon