Garden Whimsy

These are for you Kendall!!!

Card Keeper

I think I have officially fallen off the face of the earth! I can't remember the last time I went almost a whole week with no crafting and no posts :(

I have had a bit of a difficult week, so have not made anything new, with the exception of this card keeper, which I made on order for a customer. I have shown pics of an entire card keeper before (called A Year of Cards), so I didn't photograph the whole thing, but here is a few peeks at it...

I am just loving the So Swirly jumbo wheel - it seems to be making its way into almost everything!

Here is a card I made for that REALLY hard to craft for creature - the 13yo boy.

It is also in the Card Keeper.

I used the Just Rugby set, even though he is really into AFL, as I think it can pass as an AFL card?!?

Special Sunday: A Sahara Sand giveaway!

Today's offer is a sample of Sahara Sand cardstock.

Usual rules apply.

Also, we have a winner - my desk cost $5!!

A tour of my craft area...

I can post pics again!

My desk area (wall 1). Above the desk are RAK's and comp entries I have received from friends and customers. They all mean so much to me, I look to them for inspiration constantly.


Close-up next to my desk

My hanging storage. I really wanted a clip-it-up, but the price was out there, so I went on ebay and found this for next to nothing!

Two top desk drawers - tool and 'bits' storage

Bookshelf on wall 2- stamps, and business supplies

Drawer 3 in desk - A4 cardstock filed by colour

Another desk shot. This HUGE, lovely desk cost me a whole....GUESS! The closest guess will win a prize! Have your guest in a comment on this post by Monday 26th May, 12pm.

Hellooo from the trenches...

Hi all,

I haven't posted much (at all?) this week, as I have had a busy time of it.

As some of you know, I have been seeing specialists to determine what is 'wrong' with me as I have been having ongoing health issues for a few years now.

This week I received the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia.

It has been a relief in some ways, it explains all my aches and pains and extreme fatigue. It is also disappointing, as whilst it can be managed, there is no 'cure' as such.

I have a positive outlook, with my doctor's advice I am sure I can overcome it, or at least manage it down to the point where it is not exhausting me every day.

So, thanks to all who have been very patient with me when it comes to postings, mailings, e-mailings etc, there is a reason behind why I am not always on the ball!

That said, I do have some new pics to show you, but blogger won't publish them GGRRRR. I am working on it, so hope to have them up today.

Cass

WOW - I've been RAKed!!

Robyn A - a HUGE thankyou for the beautiful cards I received from you.

I got my mail out of the letter box on Friday and didn't look at it again until today :O

It is not often that I get a card to say 'thanks' for my giveaways, it is lovely of you to take the time to send me your wonderful creations.

Your card will definately inspire a flurry of people wanting to buy Garden Whimsy now lol

Cards with NO words

I never realised how hard it is to make a card with NO words. Not even non-specific ones.

I had a customer place an order for one of my Year of Card's books, and she wanted 12 cards she could use for any occasion.

Here are three of the cards I came up with...

This card uses the Crayon Resist technique

This last card might look familiar, I CASEd a card I have shown you previously. I just love it so much!

Special Sunday: A gloss cardstock giveaway!

Good morning to all my Sunday girls :)

Today's giveaway is a sample of gloss cardstock.

Usual rules apply - first five Australian rsidents who are not already part of the SU! family are eligible.

Leave me a comment here, and if you are new to my giveaways, please email me your postal addy admin@cassandragrambau.com.au

Another creation from my friend Nita...

Isn't this just gorgeous? Her beautiful subjects sure help ;)

We had such fun with this yesterday.

We started with a canvas, and then used some Berry Bliss DSP, Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched ribbon, chipboard, buttons, rhinestone brads, flowers from the pretties kit (we dyed them using a purely pomegrante reinker) and some stickers from one of our simply scrappin' kits (the name of it escapes me right now!)

Cute!

Priceless Gable Box

More In Color's...more Priceless...

And the winner is!!!!!!!!

After much delay, the winner of the image comp with the ribbon prize is............

Ruth!!!

I just loved the bbq monster - very inventive!

Everyone's entries were great, and I enjoyed receiving them. Everyone did something different, which is the best thing about competitions like this.

Ruth, email me your address again please, and I will mail out your prize!

The final entry to the image comp

This is from Tracy.

Love the choice of colours, and great use of the different images!

I can't post pics!

Hi everyone,

I just tried to post some pics to show you, but they won't load, so I will pop back later to try again.

I have so much to show you!

Cass

6x6 layouts

I got the kids school photos this afternoon, so I decided to try a kit I had put together. The same kit, in different colours, 2 different ways. I used to be so into my pages being completely neat, but I am really into journalling at the moment, so there is a bit extra on the siblings page!

Pick a Petal - Versamark Resist

I have had Pick a Petal for a little while now, and haven't done anything with it except for the ladybug, so I thought I would get it out today for a workout. I have made a standard card and three gift cards - if I hadn't stopped to post them I would have just kept on going they are so fun!

I used an unlikely combination of colours - Taken with Teal, Punpkin Pie, Lovelt Lavendar and Pixie Pink - don't ask what possessed me lol

The technique is Versamark Resist - stamp your image in versamark, then sponge over the top (I use sponge daubers for greater control) and then wipe of excess with a tissue. ETA: Stamp on gloss cardstock, it won't work on regular cardstock.

I then added some paper piercing, and some rhinestone brads for some 'bling'. Greetings are from stamp set - short and sweet

Special Sunday: A handmade giveaway!

Hello everyone!

I came to my blog this morning to put up the Sunday post and when I got here I thought 'this isn't my blog'. My guest blogger had struck through the night - welcome back Kim!!!!! How lucky are you girls getting those freebies! She packages them much more nicely than I do lol I will definately have to invite her back again, though as she is my best friend I have given her free reign to post when she likes, so you may see more of her without me even knowing!

On to the giveaway...

This week's sample is actually a handmade gift from me. It will give you an idea of something you can make, as well as showing you some of my work IRL, and showing you how some SU! products can be used.

It is my Mothers Day gift to you.

This week's rules will also be different - for the first time EVER I am opening this up to ANYONE in Australia who comes by today and leaves a comment - customers, demonstrators, friends and family alike.

I am heading out to breakfast with my mum, and then coming home for that champagne ;)

I was awoken this morning with a cup of tea and some of the best gifts ever - my Zoe wrote me a book to colour in, and made me a card, Jackson made me a bookmark and a card at school and Emma made me a present that i can't unwrap (it is a box filled with love, and trying to explain to a 3yo why I can't open it has been really interesting! I told her it is because the love would escape, to which Jack replied "but we have love in our hearts, so it will just go in there" AAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! I just adore my children *insert sweet soppy look on my face here*) I also got chocolates, handpicked by Jack and Emma, some moccasin socks handpicked by Zoe and a floor lamp handpicked by my husband as he sick of me having the overhead loungeroom lights on while I am doing craft lol I also got the latest Jodi Piccoult book, handpicked by me ;) My presents were all wrapped in christmas paper as my darling husband asked me on my way out yesterday where the wrapping paper was to which I said "we don't have any". His response "don't all wives keep wrapping paper and stuff somewhere?" - not this one love!!!!!

Anyhow, really must go and get ready to go out. More later,

Cass

Chipboard Giveaway - On Its Way To You

Just popping back to let the five (5) winners of the Stampin' Up! On Board chipboard giveway that your samples are in the mail, on their way to you. Thanks again to those who left their comments on my post last Sunday.

In case you've already tried out my earlier suggestions on what to do with chipboard, here are some more:

- Stamp on it. I can't quite believe I didn't mention this before (red-faced here).

- Embellish it with Hodgepodge hardware. Remember that the new Stampin' Up! Crop-A-Dile punches circles and sets eyelets in chipboard with ease. Use it to make rivets for altered books.

- Tie ribbon/s around or on it.

- Further to stamping on to it, stamp some images in Versamark ink on the board and then use Stampin' Up! Pastels and Sponge Daubers to colour the stamped images. This is known as Poppin' Pastels. You can do it directly onto the grey board or paint the chipboard white first. I'll see if I can make a sample to show you how effective this technique is.

Lastly, I forgot to mention in my last post that Stampin' Up! chipboard also offers some advantages over other chipboard brands in that it co-ordinates with Stampin' Up! stamp sets and punches. For example, On Board Blossoms and Basics (page 141 of current Stampin' Up Catalogue) co-ordinates with the Pick A Petal stamp set (on page 103). Some of the flowers in this same pack match the shapes punched by the Scallop and 5-Petal Flower Punches (on page 143). So all you need do is punch out the matching shape from decorative paper and adhere it to the chipboard. Very easy and quick.

Now I know some blog visitors were disappointed to miss out on last Sunday's free samples but remember Cassandra runs a Special Sunday giveaway most weeks. She may be a little slow off the mark tomorrow because it is Mother's Day and I believe there's a champagne breakfast to be had (a little envious I am but she deserves it). Be sure to keeping looking for a chance to win a sample of another beautiful Stampin' Up product.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mothers in your lives.

Love KimT

For my mum

I decided not to leave it til the very last minute this year - here is my mum's mothers day card :)

And another card I whipped up using the set 'Priceless' which I got this week. And - shock horror - some of our In Colors!

Camper Cass is back!

Hellooooo from a weary camper. Mount Warning was just beautiful this past weekend. We didn't climb the mountain (8.8km with my three doesn't appeal so much lol), but we had a great time nonetheless. It will probably be our last camping trip this season, as it is getting too cold, but it has been good to get away.

THANKS so much Kim for looking after my blog whilst I have been away. Doesn't she make amazing cards? I will be CASEing the mothers day card for sure, and she has even given me some extra chipboard ideas that I am itching to try.

Whilst we are on the topic of guest bloggers, I have a creation here from Ruth, it is an entry into my image competition, which closes SOON!



I am hoping to have something new to show you later, I have to put my thinking cap on - mothers day is this weekend :O I have so much washing to get through though, so I am not making any promises...

Are you ready for Mother's Day?

The celebration of Mother's Day in Australia is only one week away, on Sunday 11 May 2008. Meaning you crafty people out there need to make your mother, grandmothers and possibly mother-in-law a beautiful card each. Perhaps your sister or sister-in-law or niece has become a Mum for the first time in the last year. Wouldn't it be nice to mark her first Mother's Day with a card from you and your family?

Following on from my post about SU! On Board chipboard earlier today, I have posted here a Mother's Day card made with chipboard. It is covered in decorative paper. This year's Stampin' Up! catalogue features a Tapestry collection of stamps, paper and accessories. I wasn't sure about it at first but having had a play with the style, I'm enjoying producing some different cards from my typical creations.

Card "recipe" is as follows:

Card/Paper Stock
On Board Blossoms and Basics chipboard
Brocade Background designer series paper
Textured River Rock card stock

Stamps
Rough Edges Mini Alphabet & Numbers

Inks
Chocolate Chip
Old Olive

Accessories
3/4 inch circle punch
1/2 inch circle punch
Small oval punch
Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon
Sponge daubers


Whether you're a giver or receiver of gifts on Mother's Day (or both) keep in mind Stampin' Up! Gift Vouchers for an easy, last minute gift idea. You'll have no doubt about whether you've got the right gift for the crafty Mum, or if you want to give your husband an easy and foolproof gift suggestion for yourself, send him straight to Cassandra.

Thanks again for reading my two posts today and I hope to pop in and see you again. If you're ever in Sydney, drop me a line at kim@tonnet.org or SMS 0402 347 010, I'd love to hear from you. Have a great week.

KimT
(aka Crafty Kim)

Special Sunday: An "On Board" Giveaway!

Hello from Crafty Kim,

Camper Cass has gone away with her family for Queensland's Labour Day long weekend. So, here I am, guest blogger. Like Cass, I am a Stampin' Up Demonstrator. I am also her nicest friend. Just joking, I don't know how she puts up with me at times. Anyway, I'm quite thrilled to be blogging because I don't have my own blog so this is a treat for me.

And I get to do the Sunday Giveaway, woo hoo! Today's offer is for a sample of Stampin' Up! Chipboard. My affection for chipboard has only developed recently but my paper-craft friends who've been using chipboard for much longer tell me that SU! chipboard is "really yummy". I think that means the lovely designs are made from thick board which is easy to work with. Usual rules apply for this week's samples but in addition to leaving a comment, can the first 5 people also email me kim@tonnet.org with their postal addresses so I can mail your samples out from here in Sydney-town. Thanks, the give-away will be back to normal next Sunday.


Go to the Online Stampin' Up Catalogue, on pages 140 and 141, to view the chipboard I'll be sampling from.

So, what can one do with Chipboard? There are lots of possibilities but some quick suggestions are:

- Cover it in some beautiful SU! decorative paper. And don't think like I did that you need to trace and very neatly cut the paper out so it fits the chipboard exactly. No, you cut a rough shape out and then just sand it to shape with a SU! sanding block. So easy.

- Ink it up with Versamark and apply gold or silver embossing powder. Use your SU! heat gun to give a metallic finish (faux metal). Much less expensive and lighter in weight than metal embellishments.

- Paint it. Using a SU! sponge dauber and an ink pad or ink refill bottle and sponge the ink on, allowing it to dry. Once dry, you can apply SU! Crystal Effects for a raised, glossy finish. Alternatively, you can apply Versamark and clear embossing powder and then set with a heat gun for a glossy but flatter finish. Go to another SU! demonstrator's Kirrily's Website for a tutorial. *Thanks* Kirrily.

- Ink it up with Versamark and apply SU! heat and stick powder. Use your heat gun to melt the heat and stick powder and quickly apply Dazzling Diamonds for sparkling chipboard. So pretty.

And that's not all (can you tell I'm enjoying myself here, please indulge me), check back later because I will post a Mother's Day card made using chipboard and I'll have some more usage ideas.

And, please please please, so I get invited back to blog again, someone out there, be persuaded to buy some Chipboard from Cass, you really can't go wrong and it's lots of fun for scrapbooking and card-making. For you Mums out there, it would make a perfect Mother's Day Gift. Just email Cass for details.

Stay tuned, I will be back later.

Love KimT

Palette O'Prints is here!

From 1-31st May, spend $35 on any Stampin' Up! products, and get a 6"x6" pad of double-sided Prints Designer Series paper for only $12.95!

This one-time offer gives you 48 double-sided sheets in

*certainly celery
*rose red
*so saffron
*almost amethyst

Each pad holds twelve sheets of each colour - two sheets of each pattern in each colour. Use them for cards, crafts or scrapbooking - the only limit is your imagination!

So Saffron and Almost Amethyst Prints DSP is NOT available in the 08/09 Idea Book & Catalogue, and can only be purchased through this one time only special offer!

To find out more, visit my specials page.