Category Archives: Uncategorized

Colour Creations Stampin’Up! Moody Mauve

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I have three different projects to share with you today, featuring the new In Color Moody Mauve.
Who likes it?
Who doesn’t?
I’m hearing a lot of different opinions on this colour.
Personally, I LOVE it!!
So here are my projects.
The first one is a card that I have made using up some of those scraps of watercolour paper.

I have used some of the scraps of watercolour paper and coloured it with some Moody Mauve, Wild Wheat and Mossy Meadow ink and a Water Painter, before die cutting them with some of the Meadow Dies.
I have also die cut the same in Mossy Meadow cardstock, and then overlaid the flower onto the Mossy Meadow, which gives a slight raised appearance to the flower, but also gives a shadowed effect where you can see the tiniest amount of the dark Mossy Meadow behind the flower.

Next I am going to share with you some paper roses that I have been making.
My 17 year old son is displaying some of his wonderful woodturned items at a Wedding Fair this weekend and I was given the opportunity to create some flower displays to complement his items.
These roses are going to be part of this display but at this stage are just individual roses, four in Mood Mauve, and one Very Vanilla.
(I love Moody Mauve paired with Very Vanilla, simply gorgeous!)

And my last project is another card, this one a slightly different fold to a standard card.


The base of the card is a single layer which doesn’t open, with the opening card attached in front.

I have used some Blackberry Bliss for the base of this card to add some depth of colour.

I do hope that I have managed to help you to love Moody Mauve a little better, but if you need some more inspiration, keep on hopping along to Rachel Palmieri.

If at any time you find a broken link, please head to the blog of this week’s host of the AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop Cathy Proctor, who will have a list of all the participants in the Blog Hop.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy hopping,
Chris

Product List
Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper
[149612]
$15.75
Meadow Dies
[155852]
$67.00
Water Painters
[151298]
$23.00
Moody Mauve A4 Cardstock
[161732]
$17.50
Fresh As A Daisy 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[161289]
$21.75
Add All to Cart

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Nasty Biting Bugs!!

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I have been very active here for the last few months so you might have noticed the sudden stop!!

I spend all day every Saturday at the lake while my son sails his boat with the club he belongs to, it’s so beautiful, relaxing, and surrounded by nature.

But of course, with nature comes nasty biting bugs!!

I was bitten twice on Saturday, once on each ankle, and it has taken me quite a few days to get back to my usual self. Even yesterday I could only do so much before I had to rest with my feet up.

I’m on the mend and catching up with the backlog of things that haven’t happened for a few days. Hopefully that will include some crafting, maybe later today!

I’ll smother my ankles in some more essential oils, that should do the trick.

Happy Stamping,

Chris

Try Stampin on Tuesday Sketch

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This week’s sketch at Try Stampin on Tuesday is one that didn’t sit well with me for whatever reason, so I decided to turn it on it’s side!

I have used the gorgeous Heart and Home Designer Series Paper for my card, along with one of the Doilies that goes with it.

The Designer Series Paper has all been embossed with the Timeworn Type Embossing Folder, and then a heap of distressing and sponging.
The gorgeous Bee is fussy cut from the Designer Series Paper.
I hope you will play along and share your creations with us at Try Stampin on Tuesday.
Happy stamping
Chris

Product List
Heart & Home 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper
[157928]
$20.00
Heart & Home Doilies 
[157956]
$8.75
Blending Brushes
[153611]
$21.00
Linen Thread
[104199]
$8.75
Add All to Cart

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

January Host Code:

BTZM4CRW

Use this host code when you order, and if you order $50 or greater you will receive a free gift from me!  If your order is $250 or over, please do not use this code, you’ll still get a free gift – your choice of any item valued up to 10% or your order (excluding shipping costs) from the 2021-22 Annual Catalogue or July-December 2021 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items. (Australian orders only please).

***Make sure that you can see my name on the final checkout page listed as your Demonstrator when you order so that you know that you’re ordering with me and you’ll get my rewards!

Try Stamping on Tuesday

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I am excited to let you know that I have been offered a position on the Design Team with the lovely ladies at Try Stamping on Tuesday, and this is my first sketch challenge with them.
Most of you would know that I love, love, love a sketch challenge, so this fits perfectly with me!
Here is the sketch –

My card features the Color and Contour stamp set along with some brand new goodies!!

I have used one of the Butterflies and Flowers Layering Decorative Masks to create the pretty sprays of daisies in the background, sponged with some Crushed Curry ink and our Blending Brushes.
The torn paper is from the new Designer Series Paper called Abstract Beauty.
The flowers have been stamped onto Thick white cardstock with Stazon ink and then watercoloured using a Water Painter and ink, and it has worked quite well, although it was a really hot day so it dried very quickly and I didn’t want to play too much with it on standard cardstock rather than watercolour paper.

I hope you will come and join in with the challenge at Try Stamping on Tuesday.
Happy stamping!
Chris

January 2022 Host Code: BTZ4CRW
Use this host code when you order online, and if your order is $50 or greater you will receive a free gift from me!  If your order is $250 or over, please do not use this code, but you’ll still get a free gift.  The free gift will be your choice of any item valued up to 10% of the value of your order, from the 2021-22 Annual Catalogue or January – June 2022 Mini Catalogue!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive items, PLUS you get your choice of Sale-a-Bration items as well.

Product List
Color & Contour Bundle (English)
[158356]
$88.00
Butterflies & Flowers Layering Decorative Masks
[158142]
$17.50
Abstract Beauty 4" X 6" (10.2 X 15.2 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper
[158039]
$26.00
Blending Brushes
[153611]
$21.00
Add All to Cart

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

More Abstract Beauty

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You may have seen a few days ago, I shared a card that was the same design and layout as a card that I had made during a Facebook Live, so below is the one I made on the Live…….

It really just needed a little something extra, so while I was packing all of my craft stash in boxes for reorganising, I came across a simgle, lonely flower that was going to be for another project, and it was just right to pop on my card! The flower is from the Color and Contour stamp set, and I have added a little Wink of Stella to the centre of the flower as well.
Much better!!
Well, back to the reorganising, but I am glad I gave this lonely flower a home.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Reorganising my Stampin Space!

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Organising our craft stash seems to one of those ongoing things that is in a constant state of flux. I haven’t been happy with my set up, well, since we moved to this house over 6 years ago.
In a recent discussion with my sister, she suggested that I use a Dresser that belonged to our parents and which has been stored at my sisters house since our beautiful Mum passed away 11 years ago.
So, this weekend, the Dresser is being delivered here, (it’s currently about three and a half hours drive away) and so over the next few days, I am going to be packing much of my stamping and crafting stash into boxes so that I can then sort, cull and organise it into it’s new home.
The bonus is that I will always have that little piece of my Mum and Dad with me while I am crafting.
So for the next few days, the Big Brown Boxes will have a new use (other than cat toy!!), and crafting will be minimal.


I have a couple of posts scheduled so that you will still get some ideas and inspiration from me, and I plan to be Live on Facebook at 10am on Monday morning, for Masculine Monday.

I’m sure that these two rascals, along with their third rascal friend, will enjoy every minute of “helping” me with the packing, sorting and moving things around. Wish me luck!!

See you on the flip side!
Chris

The Male Room

Posted in Cards, Masculine, Uncategorized by

I am very excited to be able to announce that I am once again a member of The Male Room Design Team. I was a part of this fantastic team in the past, and am so happy to be back on the team and taking part in sharing masculine project inspiration every month.
This month, the theme is Food.

This one certainly challenged me, simply because I don’t have a lot of food related crafty stuff, at least not that I can use for masculine projects. So I have used the Forever Grapevine stamps set, and since I personally love, love, love grapes, especially around Christmas, grapes are my food choice!!

I wanted to create a more vintage style look for this card, so some tearing and sponging, and the leaves have been brushed with some water to blur the vein lines.

And those gorgeous metal corners, are unfortunately retired, but I still have some in my stash!!

So I hope you will pop over the The Male Room and say hi, maybe share a masculine project you have made. We are also on Facebook and Instagram, so make sure to like, comment and join us for all the inspiration there.
Happy stamping!
Chris

Just Add Ink Colour Challenge

Posted in Cards, Uncategorized by

It’s been quite some time since I made a card (again).
What a year it’s been here!
First, catastrophic bushfires.
Then floods.
And now, well, since it’s worldwide, I don’t need to go into what is going on now.
I hope each and every one of you is coping ok.  And I hope you are crafting as that is one way to give us all a little sanity.

It has been a quite a long time since I really got into some stamping and cardmaking, so I went to one of my favourite challenge sites, Just Add Ink, to find something to use as inspiration.
I am feeling a little rusty, so didn’t get into too much detail, just kept to something fairly simple.
The challenge is a colour challenge, using some gorgeous Stampin’ Up! colours.
JAI 504
And here is my card.
Colour Challenge May 2020 Butterfly Wishes Stampin' Up! Christina Barnes Dot Dot Stamping

I have used the gorgeous Butterfly Wishes stamp set (which might just be one that is continuing on into the new catalogue…), along with some of the Seam Binding Ribbon, and the Stitched Shapes Dies to cut out my circles.

Colour Challenge May 2020 Butterfly Wishes Stampin' Up! Christina Barnes Dot Dot Stamping2
Happy Stamping!
And please look after yourself, stay healthy and positive.
Chris
xx

Exhaustion and Sorrow.

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The bushfire saga continues here in Australia, and here in my beautiful part of the country.
So many people have lost their homes and their livelihoods, so much of our beautiful countryside blackened and so much of our beautiful wildlife killed or maimed.
It truly is heart breaking.
81696924_605402686954852_696378128993353728_nAnd while I know how lucky we have been, we still have our lives, our home, our beloved pets and all our belongings, it is taking a toll.
The exhaustion from being hyper vigilant 24 hours a day.  Of the alerts on my phone going off when new fires start or current fires get worse.  The sorrow of knowing that friends have lost everything and other’s are in danger.  The sorrow of knowing that nothing will be the same. Ever.
This map shows you how we are surrounded by the fires.  The blue binoculars indicate where we live.

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Many people are asking how we will ever recover from this tragedy.  How people can move on and start again.  But we will, people always find a way.
The sad part is, it’s not just in our immediate area that these bushfires are raging.  It’s further north and further south.  There are fires in most parts of Australia.

These are photos taken of a beautiful area we love to go to, before the fires on the left, and after on the right.

And another photo of the amount of burnt debris that has washed up in a similar area.

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With bushfires up and down the coastal area, during our primary holiday time of the year here in Australia, I also wonder how businesses will cope financially.  Today, it all feels too difficult to even comprehend.  But perhaps that’s just because I am so lacking in sleep.
This photo is of the mountain near us with the red glow of fire behind it.
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Today, we have the news that the conditions have eased, and we can relax just a little.  The fires are still out of control, but with better conditions it will be possible for the firefighters to contain the fires and stop them spreading.  In reality, many of these fires are just too big to be put out, for that to happen, we need rain.  Heavy rain over a long period.
This photo, taken by Ben Marden, a local photographer, really says it all, the devastation, the despair, and the question of how and where to start.

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Even for those of us who still have our homes, that despair and feeling of helplessness is still intense.  The recovery from this will be long and hard, and very emotional.

So where does that leave me?  It’s the least of my worries really, but I do have a business as a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator which relies on other people coming to my classes or buying product.  But these people are probably not going to be coming to classes for some time to come, and we are all focussing on pulling together and helping those that have lost everything.  Without classes and sales, unfortunately my business may just be one of a number in the area that closes down.
I sincerely hope that’s not the case.
In the meantime, I may have some cards to share with you soon, hopefully I can find a few minutes to relax and be creative.
Please continue sending rain our way, pray if you believe, or do a rain dance.  Anything at all will be appreciated more than you can know.
And thank you to those that have left comments of love and support, your comments mean so much to me.
Keep crafting,
Chris
xx

 

We are Safe!

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You may have heard of the devastating bushfires happening through many parts of Australia.
Over the last few days our own town and surrounding areas have been heavily impacted by what is being described as an apocolypse.
Yes, we are safe.
At the moment we have power and communication.  But for how long, we don’t know.
Many, many people have lost their homes, some have lost the lives of loved ones, many businesses have been burnt.  Entire towns have been completely erased.
We are grateful that the town we live in is ok, that we still have our home and that we are fine.
Here are a few photos to give you an idea of what has been happening.

This town is about 20 minutes drive away from where we live.  It was a town full of gorgeous old buildings, full of history and the homes, businesses and lives of many people in our area.

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The next photo is of the town we live in, the first photo taken around 9.30am, the second at around 11.30am.  We were surrounded by heavy red smoke for the rest of the day.  It was eerie, we had no vision, couldn’t breathe outside and had no way of knowing what was going on.  Fortunately, today is a little better.

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Our favourite beach, which we go to regularly, was littered with the black leaves and debris which was washed up on the shore line, all burnt by the devastating fires that are still burning, many still out of control.

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These fires are raging up and down our beautiful coast line.  The impact will be massive and long lasting.  And even for those of us who still have our homes, the regional impact will also be long lasting.
The fires are not out yet, things could change in an instant.  However, we are staying positive and now starting to think of ways to help those who have lost everything.

For those of you celebrating the start of 2020, I wish you all the best for this year.
All we can do is hope and pray that it will rain!

I will try to keep a little crafting happening sometimes, and to share that with you here when I can.
In the meantime, your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated more than you could possibly know.

Chris
xx