Happy Birthday!!!!

I just looked at the date on my calender and realised it's my "Dutchy Cousin's Birthday"... So hopefully you will see this Joan... Hope you had a wonderful day... not too hot for you I hope. There will be a little parcel in the old "Snail Mail" shortly. How this month has gone SO fast, it will be summer here in next to no time the way we are going through the months..... so quickly!!!!

Love always, Gina
                   xxxxxoooo

"Twelve Day Howling Success Quilt" by me

Hi everyone, I thought I would share something I did in 2006. Yes that seems an eternity away, but I still remember making this quilt & how to keep my daughter from seeing what I was up to for hours on end... especially when it was Christmas & birthdays at the same or near to date.
   My daughter still has it (so she should too), it has been through the wash a few times & none of the colour has come out.... it's still as vibrant as the day I had finished it.
Anyway, I salvaged the piece of writing & the original picture from where I put it onto a site... I couldn't believe they still had it there!!! (www.about.com) a great site for finding out how to do just about anything, I know I had used it a lot in my earlier years of quilting. Also other cool things I wanted to know at that time. So thank you to About.com for holding onto the picture & it's story for me.

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"This is a single bed size quilt that I made in 12 days before my oldest daughter's 21st birthday, which happened to be 2 days after Christmas, 2006. I hand painted the background and appliqued the black wolf and foreground. Where the colours change, I changed the embroidery thread. There are 15 different colours used throughout the quilt. I did an embroidered Celtic design on the blue outside border. The inspiration for this quilt was my daughter's love of wolves & Celtic designs. I enjoyed making the quilt, but would have enjoyed having a bit more time to complete it."
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I hope you like it!!!

Christmas is in Black & White!!!

This one I just love, even if it isn't in the normal colours of Christmas. I wanted to show that you can still get the Christmas feeling without all the red & green. I used the Moroccan Tiles Stamp set from Kaszazz to look like snowflakes (these were embossed in black), I then used some retired rub-ons from Kaszazz & a little bit of silver & white ribbon to finish the card off.... What do you think? I think it's kind of classy looking, myself!!
I'm also putting this card into the "Christmas in July Challenge" through the Stamp Spot's Blog.
http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/

Christmas Card with Jesse

Hi All,
     Well I know I am a little late but here it is... one of  the newer Kaszazz Stamps... "Jesse" & for the background "snowflake type" designs which are from the "Moroccan Tiles" set, those were released in May this year. I embossed the "snowflakes" & then added "Jesse" on top using dimensionals under her, finishing with one of the retired Rub-ons (from Kaszazz) & some of my favourite items I love to use.... Ice Stickles!!!!
     Here are a few different angles of the card... I am entering it into the Stamping Spot's Blog Challenge for July.... "Christmas in July".   http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/

Reggie's Craft Closet: BRAND NEW & AVAILABLE NOW!!!!!!!

Reggie's Craft Closet: BRAND NEW & AVAILABLE NOW!!!!!!!: Are you excited??     Hi Everyone who ventures to my little place, I hope you are all happy & healthy. As of last week we have a brand...

BRAND NEW & AVAILABLE NOW!!!!!!!

Are you excited??

    Hi Everyone who ventures to my little place, I hope you are all happy & healthy. As of last week we have a brand new catalogue at Kaszazz. There were a few things retired BUT not a worrying amount & a lot of the wording that left has come back with a new look. I am also SO excited about what we have to offer now... Drum roll........................ A heap of Australian Stamps including some adorable Aussie Christmas characters that I know you will all want to play with.
    Apart from the Australian Stamps we also have some background stencils, another girl & "Annie is her name" to dress & play with (especially if you like the new craze of layering with different mediums. I have a picture of her below, she is rather tall and comes in 3 pieces (un-cut) for $32  She stands at 26.5cm in height by 13.5cm widest part of skirt. You will find her on page 18 of the new catalogue (click on the above tab of "Kaszazz Catalogue" & you will be guided to her from there).
    One other thing just in case you wanted to know, Annie is on the front of a "D" ring Album that can be found on page 6. The album is basic cardboard (chipboard) colour with a black fabric binding, it also comes with a set of the sleeves in an assortment of sizes (great for cards, postcards & other fun things as well as the normal Scrap book size sleeves), I like this idea as you can create your very own personal album or dress one up for a gift for someone you love, etc.
    Ok, enough of my ranting & raving, please enjoy the new catalogue....... & you may find something you have been looking for, if so, let me know.

Challenge of the Month (2 of 2)

Hi Again,
                Yep.... I have been busy!!!! I decided to make a small "Smash Book" using the shapes from the challenge this month, as you can see I made 3 pages with different papers/ heavy card stock/ ribbons & some cutouts from my favorite toy the "Silhouette Cameo"... I made the flowers from that, the rest I measured & cut myself. All the products were bits & pieces from my stash. Oh, and the Big Note came into play on the inside of one page too. I am putting this into the Challenge I go into recently just to add up the numbers... Plus I had fun making something different.... I don't usually do real "pretty" pieces, so this was a challenge for me too.....lol
http://thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Here is the sketch for the challenge

This is the front....

 <<<<< Inside the 1st page

<<<<<< Inside the 2nd page

<<<<<<<<< Back cover.

Challenge of the Month.... June (1 of 2)

Hi All, Hope you have all had a great June so far. I've had a husband celebrate his 52nd birthday, been sick (both of us), had an air conditioner die, a computer die... actually 2 computers, though my husband's is an ongoing saga with Acer. Mine? well it's leaving soon to be looked at due to the "hard drive" being very ill.... so I guess that's 3 things...lol Oh and we just found out that my daughter has "one" 1 baby in her tummy... not multiples... TG!!!!! I don't know how we all would cope... especially the mum, when she has 2 toddlers a husband, and very limited income.
Anyway, that's enough of my dramas for now..... Now onto what I have been up to in crafting, or more like crafting for a challenge of the month I do most of the time lately.
We were given something totally different this month, I think people are a bit scared of this one as it has a lot of different shapes within it.
I looked at the sketch & it took me some time before it hit me what I could do with those shapes, as you can see there are circles & rectangles all over the place... then I saw the shape of a "camera" pop out at me... derrrrr!!!! So that's the basis for my card. I hope you like it, it was actually fun & not that hard to do after all.
This is one of two things I came up with from these shapes... the other I will be entering as well... Just so they have a few different things on the blog.... hopefully totally different!!!
Here is the blog link to have a look at the other things people do as well as the Challenge of the Month.  http://thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< This is the sketch!!

<<<<<<<<<This is my idea!!

Grandkid's Pants

With the weather turning cold and rainy, I decided it was time to use some of my fabric stash. The grandkids needed some new pants, amoung other things... So I made a pair of pants for Sam (my grandson 3 1/2yrs old), when he was staying over for a couple of nights.  He went home wearing them & his mum (my daughter) said she loved them as they were narrow enough to stay up & easy for him to let down when going to the toilet. I had some of the same fabric left, so made him another pair & a pair for his little sister, Bree. She is wearing Sam's jeans I made him last year, so the sizing was fine to repeat for her. I just added a little in the width & length for Sam's size from last year. I don't think it's hard to figure out who's are who's, as one has little white flowers on the "cargo type pockets.
I hope you enjoy looking at them, they are supposed to be khaki green in colour.... sorry if my spelling is out!!
My sewing is much better than my spelling...lol

            Bree's with white trim                                                                            Sam's plain                                      

60's Mum Card

    Hi All, I got one of the latest stamps from Kaszazz called "Gabby" AND my very new Kaszazz Alcohol Markers!!!!! I had my first try over the last weekend or so with these new markers and am absolutely loving them!!!!! Gabby is a brand new stamp Kaszazz has just brought out, one of about 4 girls. I look at Gabby & she reminds me of the 60's/70's with the wide collar & beret type hat.
    I used some paper from Cre8tiv papers & two of my new stash from The Stamp Spot's washi tape they had on sale recently. I have entered this in the Stamp Spot Blog Challenge for this month.... being anything feminine & Mother's Dayish. Here is the address for the blog if you would like to enter something yourself... http://networkedblogs.com/La5Ht 

Good luck everyone.

My Mum Says.....

I LOVE IT!! I LOVE IT!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

       I decided to make my mum a special Mother's day gift this year. You see, she is a very arty woman & loves handmade things. She is 76yrs young (and I'm not joking), she is more alive that some people that are half her age. Anyway, back to her gift.... We went to a craft show in August last year (2012) & I found a bag that I fell in love with... well of course mum did too! It's not so much a "hand" bag, more a back pack! The original one that the lady had hanging up was black & white, had some paisley design, stripes & plain fabrics included in it's make-up. The woman had made that & quite a few other colours & designs, all hanging up for sale or you could buy the pattern & make your own. Well of course I went with the "cheaper" & bought the pattern... lol It didn't end up that cheap in the end. After I bought the special "grommets" (the black plactic discs) for one bag.... 8 in total at a cost of $4.40 each set, then add the fabric, wadding, cotton, zipper, buttons & my time, it certainly ended up a little more (heaps) than you would expect to pay for a back pack... But, I don't care!!! I set out to make something different & it turned out just that & I am quite shocked on how well it went together.
      I said to mum, "If you don't like it, I'll certainly take it back!" Her answer was.... "You will have to wait until you inherit it!!!"  Now, I think by that and saying the "I LOVE IT!!" several times when opening her gift, I can honestly smile & pat myself on the back for another gift well accepted!!!

Front on View

 Close-up Front Pocket

 Side on View

 Back View

 Open view

 Inside Pocket with pen slot on side

 Inside Pocket (other side) Zippered

 And how it looks when worn!!

Men's Card "Cross my heart and hope to FLY"

This card was made at our Stamp Club meet up this month. I love our little get togethers as they are fun, idea sharing & every month one of us gets the freebies as a host. This month was Kaszazz month, so I get to show the group something new, get their imaginations flowing, etc. I do the demonstrating for the Kaszazz month & a friend of mine does Stampin' Up! the alternative month. This way, we get a great cross section of stamps, colours, dies, embossing... the list goes on & on.

Anyway, back to the card at hand. A quick run down on what I came up with, Apart from being all Kaszazz products.... lol. The papers.... I used one of the designer series 12x12 sheets (Funky Forest 2941 Lagoon Flourish Stripes) for the background colour of the car (page 64, Retro Car 4494J of the main catalogue) stamped & fussy cut around the car, all stamping was done with "Memento" black ink pad as well as the sentiment which is from the newest catalogue. I used the "Tags #3" (2915) for the label (black card stock), I "stamp dyed" the wide striped navy & white ribbon plus a tied checkered black & white thinner ribbon on the tag, vanilla card stock & a fine nibbed art pen for the roughly drawn lines around the outer edge. I enjoy coming up with "male themed cards" it's a good challenge if you get bored with the flowers & lace of female cards. Let's face it, if you make cards a lot.... then you most probably have tons on female cards.... more than you have to give to friends & family for a lifetime...lol

Talking of "Challenges", I have decided to enter this one into "The Stamp Spot" Blog Challenge the month of April, as it is "Masculine Cards and Paper craft projects". Here's the link  http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/  or look over to the right-hand side of this blog & you will find their logo that links to their blog.

Men's Card "Seize the day"

This card was made at our Stamp Club meet up this month. I love our little get togethers as they are fun, idea sharing & every month one of us gets the freebies as a host. This month was Kaszazz month, so I get to show the group something new, get their imaginations flowing, etc. I do the demonstrating for the Kaszazz month & a friend of mine does Stampin' Up! the alternative month. This way, we get a great cross section of stamps, colours, dies, embossing... the list goes on & on.

Anyway, back to the card at hand. A quick run down on what I came up with, Apart from being all Kaszazz products.... lol. The papers.... I used one of the latest designer series 12x12 sheets & cut out the "Traction Engine" & another DS I cut out "SEIZE the day", used the "Tags #3  2915" for the label, I "stamp dyed" the wide striped navy & white ribbon plus a tied checkered black & white thinner ribbon on the tag, vanilla cardstock &a fine nibbed art pen for the roughly drawn lines around the outer edge. I enjoy coming up with "male themed cards" it's a good challenge if you get bored with the flowers & lace of female cards. Let's face it, if you make cards a lot.... then you most probably have tons on female cards.... more than you have to give to friends & family for a lifetime...lol

Talking of "Challenges", I have decided to enter this one into "The Stamp Spot" Blog Challenge the month of April, as it is "Macsuline Cards and Paper craft projects". Here's the link  http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/  or look over to the right-hand side of this blog & you will find their logo that links to their blog.

Boutique Lady

The Stamps used for these 2 cards are from the latest small Kaszazz catalogue, as are the papers. We did these at our monthly Stamp Club meet up. I hope you like them, if there are any questions regarding any of the products I used, please do not hesitate in getting in contact with me... I am more that happy to assist where possible.

The Black Frame is actually a bird cage die (5323) & I have cut out the bars & the top pointy part that Kaszazz has in their main catalogue, page 222. I know for a fact that this die & others through Kaszazz will fit the Big Shot machine. The "Easy Press" which is the one Kaszazz has one feature that the Big Shot doesn't... it will take an A4 size page, where the Big Shot is limited in that area. Now don't get me wrong.... I have both & I love both as they have their own little extras that I can not go without... lol

Child's Card

Hi Everyone,
              This is the other card I made this week. It used Kaszazz's "Adorable Friends Set" of Stamps & also "Birthday Set". I made the branch myself & coloured with pens & lead pencils. I used a very fine tipped black pen to draw the tails back on to the animals as they were too fiddly to try & cut out. Yes, all the animals, cakes, words & gift were cut with a fine pair of scissors.... and yes it did take me quite some time to cut each one out, after stamping & colouring them prior to cutting. I call this my "Jungle Party" card, & am planning on putting in the same challenge as my "Cheeky Monkey" card... if they'll let me put 2 in at "The Stamp Spot" Blog  http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/march-challenge.html
Happy Creating,
Reggie

Child's Birthday Card

Hi Everyone,
           I hope the week has been good to you all... or will be as it is only Tuesday..lol. Anyway, Here is a card I have made this week (one of two actually) with the theme being a child's card. Partly because I have been wanting to have more of a play with some of my new editions (Kaszazz Stamps), the other reason, (which I think is just as good) is that it's a Challenge for one of our Aussie Sites. "The Stamp Spot" http://www.thestampspot.blogspot.com.au/  Yes, I know what you are thinking, I am doing a stamp, etc. that is Kaszazz & the challenge is for the opposition.... well for one, they are both Australian, and one thing we all have in common.... Nobody can say they ONLY use one make of product in there craftroom. I for one have got soooooooo many different stamps, papers, cardstock, markers, pens, tapes, even cutters.... which I have 4 different cutters and that isn't counting the one's that cut dies/emboss... which amount to 3, 2 manual & one computer based.
        Anyway, back to the card.... Well I used blue cardstock, the stamps were from two sets from Kaszazz being "Adorable Friends Set" (the monkey & the words), the other used was "Birthday Set" (the gift). I had a spare bit of red/white twine so used that to tie to the hand & balloon. I coloured in the balloon in watercolour pencils, & the rest was done with my Stampin' Up! markers. I used dimensionals for the balloon & gift.
        I can't wait to get my hands on the new markers/pens that Kaszazz have just brought out, I will have to save my pennys!! Jess gave me a lesson showing me how to use "Alcohol Markers" her's being Spectrum Noirs, a couple of weeks ago. Now she's hooked me!!!!
Ok, now to go & add the other card I made.
Happy Creating,
Reggie

Distressing my card....

I thought I'd finally put up my first ever distressed card. I used all Kaszazz products (which can be found in the catalogue. The gold leaf effect is using Design Adhesives (Branches & Blooms) then rubbed on Designer Foils (Goldmine) these are fantastic & so easy to use, you can find the full range Kaszazz has on page 212 of the main catalogue. The flowers were punched ou in white card stock & distressed using Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Scattered Straw) page 190. I also used the same ink to rub around the card top (Card Basics, Oatmeal, page 185) base is SB Essentials 12x12 Mustard card stock, after dabbing & rubbing off excess of  Adirondack Paint Dabber (Snow Cap) page 199.
If there are any questions you would like to ask, please contact me on my email or comment here.
Thanks for popping by, happy crafting everyone.
Reggie

Kaszazz!!!

Hi Everyone,
    If you are looking for something a little different in stamps, Kaszazz may have what you are looking for. They are an all Australian company that also stock Tim Holtz/Ranger products as well as their very own designed stamps made in Australia. I have been using their stamps for a few months now & find them to be a very well made product at a reasonable price. I found with some makes of stamps that you might only want 1 or 2 of the stamps but have to buy the whole set (with ones you don't like) to get those 1 or 2. Kaszazz has a high quality product, with quite I few being single stamps. In their 12x12 sheets of card stock, one side has a texture, where the other side is smooth. In their specialty card stock, you don't have to buy a whole set (this also goes for the plain colours), you can order one or more of each, they do have sets with co-ordinating plain card stock as well. All their specialty papers are double sided too.
     I love the sets you can get that have all you need to make that project, which you don't have to stay strictly to their guidelines either, you can place your our twist on your cards/ scrapbook page/ 3D project.
     So if you would like to have a look at what is available, please go to the top of my blog (under the title) click on "Kaszazz" & have a look at the catalogues. Everything is available..... AND... They don't retire stamps every year!!!!
For those that like a bit of "Aussie design" look at the Main Catalogue from page 114 "Earth Elements" pages 126 onwards has the "All Boy" section which has an Australian car, beer mugs, & other male elements. Oh and the 1950's Collection has a "retro car" which I think most of us know what that is..... on page 64.
    The wording (spelling) is Australian too e.g. Mum instead of Mom (the USA version) for one. There are Owls!!! Asian inspired stamps!!! Retro Style!!! Christmas without all the snowmen & northern hemisphere weather for Christmas (only a couple with snowflakes, etc.). So please have a stroll through the pages & let me know if you decide you'd like anything from the catalogues.
Take care,
Hugs,
Reggie

Sister Act Card Challenge.... new on the block!!

Hi all, I am placing this blog address up to help this new team to get some designers signed up. They found me through another challenge group & asked if I could "try out" for the design team. I'm not holding my breath, but it doesn't hurt to help someone "put the word out there". I have picked the 3 cards I used to go in a competition recently (sorry I didn't win.. sad face.. thousands of entries they said). It's a combination of different styles I have done, I know it looks limited, but I am venturing out into the "Distressed look" & will soon be putting up some cards, etc. to show everyone. Until then, thank you for stopping by & having a look at my humble abode.
hugs,
Reggie

Here is the link:-  http://www.sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2013/02/design-team-call.html 

 Here are my favourite 3 cards....

& here are my favourite cards....

Merry Christmas.. starting Early!!!!

http://www.simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com.au/

I made this from a kit that I got when my daughter & I went to a craft show in Newcastle, NSW Australia, just before Christmas. I didn't get a chance to make it up for the Christmas just gone, so at least in is ready for next Christmas (very early, but it seems to come around so quick...lol). I had to assemble the timber chipboard by using a good strong glue... My favorite glue is "Helmar" Premium Craft glue, as it is fast & clear drying. I actually made a much larger template for the house from the original as it got hidden by the fence (completely). I also added the tree shape which I also got from a stall at the craft show. I base coated the entire pieces with white gesso, let it dry & then painted the picket fence in *Tim Holtz DISTRESS Ink STAIN WEATHERED WOOD Ranger .
I used some blending pens to do the holly & ivy, I did the Merry Christmas in *Tim Holtz DISTRESS Ink STAIN TARNISHED BRASS Ranger Metallic TDW35206. 
I found some weathered looking paper scraps I had to cover the walls of the house added windows & door freehand, used green corrigated card with a white wash to give it a distressed, weathered look. The background I brayered(*Ranger Inkssentials INKY ROLLER LARGE Ink Brayer Stamp BRA09894) myself using gloss cardstock & Stampin' Up's ink pads to make the hot evening sunset we have in Australia at Christmas, I also masked a circle behind the "burnt looking" tree (also reminicent of our hot summers here).
The numbers were embossed with the following powders *Tim Holtz DISTRESS EMBOSSING POWDER AGED MAHOGANY Red Ranger.  
& *Tim Holtz DISTRESS EMBOSSING POWDER PINE NEEDLES Green Ranger
 I used Christmas printed paper on the backgounds & behind the numbers.
I have entered this into the "Anything Goes " challenge that the people from Simon Says STAMP! site. The address is as follows. Thank you for reading & having a look at my work & take care,
Until next time, Happy Crafting from Reggie