New CardsNew Stamps!

The stamp on the card above, is from Chocolate Baroque. It was an unmounted stamp, one that I bought at SENZ, which I went to TWICE last weekend! I have used Dinkles to colour her. Dinkles are some vibrant coloured powders that mix with water. They are from Lavinia Stamps.

The bears above are a set of dies from Waffle Flower. These dies were released back in early June this year. However, they sold out really quickly, and I had these on pre-order. They arrived yesterday. They have a small piece that folds backwards behind the card. You stick that bit behind the bears. Below is the card (bears) open. You can write a message there, or on the back of the card if you like. Another option is to glue the bears so they don't open their arms, it's up to you. These dies come with flower dies and well as 'ear' dies, and some heart dies. I had fun making this card and will be making some more of these cards in different colours.

I made the card below after watching a video by Jo Rice. She's one of the Design Team from Lavinia Stamps. She has some lovely tutorials. I used Mixed Media card as I knew it would tolerate the water I used. I used a "Mop" brush, which is a brush that holds a lot of water/fluid.  I also used my Dinkles for the colours. I put some of Dinkle powder on to an old saucer and added lot's of water to make it quite we t. After sploshing my Mop brush into it, I ROLLED the brush across my card mid center from one side to the other. I made the first roll in green. I did the same thing with the green, just below my first roll. I did the same roll technique using orange, making sure this colour  was blending with the green and just a titch above the green.  I then di exactly the same technique with the yellow Dinkle. I drew a dark line across the middle of the green.  I then used some blue Dinkle powder to make a pale sky, and water.  The rick is to have a very wet brush, and ROLL it across your card. I added some trees and tiny houses, from LS.  Adding the reflections from a second stamping without re-inking the stamp.  I added some foliage and the card was finished. My instructions are not that good, so please contact me if you need clarification on anything!  

This cute little bloke below, is "Bijou" and he is one of the new stamps from Lavinia Stamps. Everything on the card, including the background is all Lavinia Stamps. In the new range of LS stamps, there are four absolutely gorjuss Owls, and "Bijou" is the baby! As I said, the foliage and words are all from LS. I made the background using my Dinkle powders. I stamped over the top once the background was dry.

The card below has "Sebastion the Sea-Horse stamped on. Another LS stamp, another one that I bought from SENZ last weekend.  I made the background using my Dinkles.  All the stamps are from L>S. I used some Stickles on the bubbles to give them some sparkle.

The card below is similar to the one in the post before this. The person - Sam-Squires - (real name Samantha Wilby) will not tell me how she made it. I sent a copy of her card, with her instructions, to Lavinia Stamps, because that is where I first saw it, to see if the can figure out how she did the stenciling. They couldn't figure it out either. To be  honest, Sam is the only crafting person I have come across who will not share how she made the card. I am disappointed as I have asked twice, but she just says, "the instructions are on my blog." Her blog is called "A Crafting Niche". She is also on Face book if you want to look her up. So below is my version of her card, but without the stencil work.

Below are two Matatiriki tags.  The one on the left is one I made, and wore to SENZ las weekend. The one of the right is one I did a swap with. I cannot remember her name ad she didn't write any details on the back. I was extremely disappointed as she was the only person who was wearing a Matariki tag. So I wasted my time, energy and materials making ten of them. As I said, I went to SENZ on two of the three days. I went on the first day, which was Friday. What a day! Disappointment #2 was when I got t the show. It was a lot smaller than I had expected. I have been to SENZ many times and it has  always been in the large Pavilion. This time it was in a much smaller 'hall'. Everyone was commenting how small the venue was., and how there wasn't as many stalls there. I got to the show on a bus, then a train, then another train, and finally a very short bus ride. Well that was fine, even though the hosw was not in an area I am familiar with, I managed to find my way.

Coming home was a disaster.  I left the show at around 1 pm, got a bus, then the train. Got off that train and was supposed to get a different train. However, that next train has been cancelled. Why??  Because some beeping tourist had driven onto the train tracks, driven through two train tunnels and become stuck on the train tracks. I was NOT impressed. Not knowing the area, I hadno idea how I was going to get home, as I had a long way to go. They announced that there was a rail replacement bus that would get me to where I needed to go. (Which was another train station where I would get a Western Line train, then a bus home) So I asked if this bus would go to the train station I needed to get to, and was ASSURED it would. So I get on. Well cutting a long story short, it didn't go anywhere near the train station I needed. Instead it went to Britomart, which is in Auckland City.  But it took two hours to get there!!  I was not happy, as it had to follow the rail line and stop at each station and went all over Auckland, and in and out of suburbs I have never been to. So I finally got a train from Britomart, and then a quick bus home.  I got home at 5 pm, fours hours after I left the craft show.  The whole trip, if the tourists had not driven on to the train lines and gone through two tunnels, got stuck and stopped the trains, would have taken me an hour and a half.  So I got home at 5 pm, closed the curtains, fed Romeo, had a couple of cups of tea, got into my pajama's and went to bed!  It was a very exhausting day for me, and my M.E. did not enjoy it:-( But I did get some craft things I had wanted, and met up with Meetu, who owns Krafters Cart here in NZ.  I have been buying craft things from her for many years, but because he shop is not local, I had never actually met her in person.  She is truly lovely and such a genuinely nice lady. (And short like me!)

So that was Friday.  I swore I was NEVER EVER catching another Rail Bus! On Saturday I rested most of the day, because of the M.E making me feel exhausted, and I was also in pain from the Fibromyalgia. No doubt bought on by stress.  I also had NO plan to go back to the craft show on the Sunday which was the last day of the show. However, Sunday morning I decided to go back...was I crazy?! So I left on the bus (short trip) and when I went to wait for the train here was an announcement  that there were NO trains running between Britomart and Otahuhu, but there were Rail Replacement buses! Are you kidding me??! So I went to the office and asked how do I get to Otahuhu?  He very kindly pointe me to the 670 bus and said that bus will take me there, and then I get a train (short trip) to Manukau where the show was.  I asked him if it was a Rail Replacement bus, nd he said...NO!  Yippee! I got on the bus and was at the show in just over an hour. It was a lovely bus trip, and wen very quickly.  I did the same trip back and was home within two hours. Yes I was (still) exhausted, but it was so worth it. Being the last day of the show, it was not crowded, I could easily see everything, and all the stall holders had sales, with a lot of things marked down to half price! I had a way better time than I did on Friday, as it was easier to move around.  The aisles were very narrow, and that was another thing everyone was commenting on on Friday. I got to chat with Meetu and her sister, who is from Australia, as well as meeting her son and daughter. I bought a lot more craft things too! Apologies that this is a long post!

Ok, thanks for staying with me, and for dropping in! Have a SUNSHINE day! Remember to always be your authentic self, and shine bright each and every day!  (And stay away from Rail Replacement buses!!)