Teacher's Gifts

Morning all!!

 

Yes, please do not adjust any visual aides or computer screens...it is ME...back from the techno wasteland that has been my house. The upside of having NO INTERNET connection for a week is that I got to craft heaps!

 

Today I am going to share with you the gifts I did for my children's teachers this year. My son had the same teacher last year (nuts) so I could not drag out the old staples for her! Both teachers received a pizza box filled with handmade gift tags. This is what they looked like.....

 

 

 

My son's teacher received a gift that I have seen around the blog traps a bit in the form of an altered picture frame that is made into a whiteboard. This one was an 8 x 10 inch frame. My son told me she loved blue hues, so that was my starting point.......

 

 

The new Blossom Party Originals die really got a work out!! I continued the swirly flourish under the glass by giving the old faithful Baroque Motifs an airing. It was one of the very first SU sets I purchased...and it worked OK I think??

 

My daughter's teacher received my old Christmas standby....stamped candles. I think they make such a delightful gift and have a wonderful wow factor. I found a GORJUS decorative reindeer stamp in my local craft hangout and could not pass it by. This was the result.....

 

             Front      
                                                                                                       

 

...and how pretty is this reindeer???

 

 

I have some more Christmas things to share with you. Thanks for popping by.

 

Stuff used:

CS: (SU) Pizza Boxes -Real Red, Old Olive, Holiday Treasures and Holiday Harmony DSP's (ret)

               Picture Frame - Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Summer Sun and  Pear Pizzaz (ret)

Ink: (SU) P.Box - Real Red, Old Olive

                P.Frame - Not Quite Navy, Bashful Blue, Pear Pizzaz

                Candles - Cherry Cobbler, Wild Wasabi

Stamps: (SU) P.Box - Ornament Keepsakes, Tags Til Christmas, and many other Christmas stamps

                       P.Frame - Lovely Letters Alphabet, Baroque Motifs

                       Candles - Merry Minis (SU), Kaszzaz Christmas Greetings, Reindeer stamp fm LSS

Punches, dies and framelits: (SU) Holiday Ornament dies, Window Framelit dies, Large and Small tag, Large scallop Circle, 1 3-8" circle, 1 3/4" circle,  Boho Blossom Punch, Blossom Party Originals die, LOTS of other SU dies and frames, MFT Fancy Flourish die

Other Bits: SU Cherry Cobbler Tuelle ribbon, Lg gold and pearl brads fm stash, Dimensionals

 

Lynda xx

 

Post Christmas Birthdays

Hi All,
I am always on the go around Christmas/New Years as I have quite a few family birthdays immediately after the festive frivolity.

My MIL has her birthday 5 days after Christmas and I wanted to get her something nice, but not overwhelming. It started off with this card. I worked with that and ended up with this.......

Now as you can see the card does not have a sentiment on it ....as I was running horridly behind (so unlike me) and I wanted to get some pics before I lost all light. After the sentiment and finishing touches went on, this is what it looked like...

The card used what I think is called the "Spritz" Technique, whereby you colour the image on the stamp with Stamp and Write Markers and then before stamping onto watercolour paper, you lightly spray it with water. Up close, it really is a beautiful effect.

Part of my new drive is to reload my card stash, so in all I made 4 of these, but with different border punches and I have left the sentiments off so that I can tailor as needed.

Thanks for dropping by, I still have some of my Christmas gifts to show, but I may spread them out a little.

Stuff Used:

CS: (SU) Elegant Eggplant, Orchid Opulence (ret), Eraldo watercolour paper

Ink: (SU) Stamp and Write Markers in Elegant Eggplant, orchid Opulence (ret) and Certainly Celery

Stamps: (SU) Inspired By Nature, Amy R "Birthday Sentiments

Punches: SU large and small Oval Punches, Sizzix Beautiful Wings Embosslit die, MS Gothic Arches Punch

Other Bits: SU Certainly Celery Twill Ribbon

Lynda xx

Farewell Ms Brooks

It is always sad to lose a teacher htat has been a stalwart of a school for so very long. Sadly, my son's teacher retired recently. She has endured taught Dylan for 2 years (yr 2 and this year...year 5), so I thought her parting gift should be all that she has meant to us as a fmily and as an educator. Once again, everything was co-ordinated and it sought of grew and took on a life of it own. This is what she received...

It consisted of a diary, a candle, a desk compendium and a card. (Be warned...lots of pics following....)

The diary....



The Candle....

The desk compendium, complete with calendar, monogramed paper and butterflies....

The desk set is the same as the one Debbie P made here.

And last but not least the card....

I am so very happy with the way this set worked out. As you can see, there are MANY elements to this set, so I will put the main ones in the "stuff used" at the end.

Stuff used:

CS: (SU) Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, Urban Garden DSP (ret), Whisper White

Ink: (SU) Not Quite Navy, So Saffron, Old Olive

Stamps: (SU) Inspired By Nature, Life Definitions, Lovely Letters Alphabet and TCM - Fly Free

Other bits: Nestabilities Ovals and Scalloped ovals, SU Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die

Lynda xx

(Again) Better Late Than Never

Hi all. Thanks for popping by.

Now you may recall that little Pippa (my newest niece) was born in May this year (shown in this post.) Well (finally) I can share with you all my birth gift to her. Did you ever have one of those projects that you thought would come together relatively easily....and then have the total opposite happen??? This is such a project!!

When Jessica was born, I stamped a candle for her (here). I wanted to do the same for Pippa. I was CERTAIN of the image I wanted to use, and of course, the card had to co-ordinate!! The Craft's Meow (TCM) have beautiful stamps. Butterfly Kisses is such a favourite of mine. I have used it a couple of times. Pippa's was the first time I had used the main image on a candle. Also...not being one to bite of more than I could chew (yeah right), I decided to try another technique with the card - Faux Silk. There are many tutorials out there, but I have linked the one I followed.

Here is Pippa's Birth card....

Not my usual style huh??? Having said that, I was more than ecstatic that it came out on the paper the way I had it in my head!! Here is a close up of the faux silk and my lace flower. It was done by using a decorative scalloped lace and running a tacking stitch through the flat side and then pulling the thread taut to make a circle and tying the ends together. The brad was then inserted through the middle. Hope that makes sense??

The way to stamp on a candle is in one of the linked tutorials. One of the reasons why this post is so late is that sadly the pics I had taken of the candle were HORRIBLE to say the least and taken in v v poor light, so I had to ask Pippa's Mum to take some and send them to me. This was Pippa's birth candle....

Front

and back

If you'd also indulge me a tad further, I'd like to share with you some pics of my devine little niece...

10 weeks old

and taken 23/8/11

Will be back soon with more fun and creativity, Thanks for popping by.

Stuff used:

CS: (SU) Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink (PIP), Whisper White, Bella Rose DSP (ret)

Ink: (SU) Pretty in Pink, SWM's in Perfect Plum and PIP, Perfect Plum and PIP on Candle

Stamps: TCM - Butterfly Kisses, SU - Lovely Letters Alphabet, Best Yet, Simple Type Alphabet Numbers

Punches: (SU) Large and Small Tag Punch

Other Bits: SU Antique Brads, Dimensionals, Scallop lace fm stash, Small pink ric-rac fm stash, Nestabilities Labels 8, Pop-up Glue Dots

Lynda xx





Vintage Class #1

Ever seen something that you feel an INSTANT connection to?? I find that I will see something....have an OMG moment....then take a deep breath, logic kicks in...it goes on the wish list and then you ruminate and procrastinate over its impending purchase from there. (I sense a nod here and there.)

Whils flicking through a Australian Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft magazine a couple of months back, I saw a beautiful Christmas set by DarkRoom Door called "Noel". DarkRoom Door do the most beautiful Vintage-like stamps. They come in a sheet of rubber, you put them onto EZ Mount (or Similar) and then you are good to go. Here is a picture of the set. 11 stamps for under $30.

Now I have also wanted to take a good hard crack at some vintage style cards. I have invested in a small range of Tim Holtz Distress Inks (which PS I am LOVING!!!!) I got some vanilla coloured candles fm the Reject Shop, busted out the TH inks and the stamp set and came up with these. To give you an idea of size, these candles are 10cm (4 inches) high.

On the backs of both the candles I used the gorgously scripted "Noel" stamp.



I loved these so very much I ended up doing a set for the Kid's teachers at school  as part of their Christmas presents. They went down a treat. I have also done the candles in another couple of the colours that I will share later. Stamping Candles is so much fun, so easy to do and make such a reasonably priced gift. (BTW...I know the candles are at different heights......you can't get everything right at the Reject Shop...hee hee hee). If you haev not stamped candles before, here is a link to give it a go. You are only really limited by your imagination.

Late addit...I forgot I took a couple of pics of the candles all bundled up ready to go to the teachers. I made a small box to house them in from Bravo Burgandy CS, bit of cellophane and maroon satin ribbon...and they look a treat.

Stuff used:
CS: (SU) Bravo Burgandy
Stamps: DarkRoom Door - Noel
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Aged Mahogany
Other Bits: Madison and French Church Candles, Tissue Paper, Cellophane, 24mm "Boutique" Satin Polyester Ribbon (fm Big W)

Lynda xx

Miss Jessica's Candle

I pondered for sometime what I could give to Jessica. Being a WORLD CLASS procrastinator it was hard!! Finally I decided to give her a Brith Candle. That was done...now all I had to do was find the right one!! The candle had to be at least 8 inches tall to fit her name....and white. FINALLY an 8" white pillar candle was found.....after 6 shops!!!!

I have to thank my best pal Tracey and her friend Michelle....and mordern technologhy (a webcam). Without all of these things, I would have NEVER finished this candle.This was the result....

I could not have been happier with the way it turned out. I used Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive and Orchid Opulence to match the card. It looked so good all together, which you'll have to trust me on cause it's the only aspect I did NOT have a pic of.....LOL!! Oh and here is a pic of Aunty Lynda and Miss Jessica....

For those of you who want to know more about stamping on candles, which by the way is sooooooooo easy, you can find a tutorial here.

Thanks for stopping by.

Stuff used:

Ink: (SU) Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Old Olive and Versa Colour Violet

Stamps: (SU) Lovely Letters Alphabet, Priceless, Merci. Numbers are a clear mount set that I do not know the name of.

Other bits: Heat Gun, Tissue Paper, Repositionalble Adhesive

Lynda xx