Stamping with Kathryn Lowe

Finishing Touches

2010-03-13T16:35:34+11:00

When you complete a gorgeous card, do you ever feel that it's a shame to write in it with a normal blue biro? I cringe at the thought every time, and so I keep a stack of different coloured metallic gel pens for the handwriting part - sometimes they'll sneak onto the front of the card too, but we'll just keep that as a little secret between me and you LOL!

For my wedding invitations, I felt I had to go one better even, than the gel pens, and very spoiled rotten me, had just the thing, which I received last year from a very dear relative who had just been to Venice for a bit of a look around.

The inscription reads Fabris Giuliana 1925 Venezia - isn't it just exquisite!! To save breaking the wax seals on the included ink bottles, I chose to go with my Perfect Plum ink refill from Stampin' Up! Did you know the little dropper top pops out of the bottle and you can insert a quill to pick up ink?

This suited me beautifully as I was determined to have co-ordinating colours. Thanks to darling Tony for being the studio photographer . . .

It's so lovely, I feel it should be in a glass display cabinet somewhere, but having said that, I am so pleased that I have actually used it, and enjoyed it . . . too many times we keep something "for special occasions" and never get around to using it - thanks Tony for reminding me that handwriting on my wedding invitations is a "special occasion" and this lovely quill has provided just the perfect finishing touch!

Love Notes Folders

2010-03-11T08:03:00+11:00

Last week you saw the funky Kaleidoscope Love Notes Folder I had fun making for a workshop. I love these little folders and it reminded me that I had another one I made around Christmas time, inspired by the colours and layout of some Christmas cards in Stamping & Papercraft magazine, vol 15 no 6 by the talented Carol Dunstan. I didn't have the same stamps used in that article, but I was able to create a miniature version using love notes and a smaller but similar stamp.

The berries from the adorable Stampin' Up! set "Le Jardin Botanique" are inked up using Stampin' Write Markers in Rose Red, Real Red, Old Olive and Always Artichoke. I added some greetings from the very versatile greeting set, "Many Merry Messages", similarly inspired by Carol's cards, and again inked with markers so I can just stamp part of the message, not the whole greeting. These punch out beautifully with the Word Window Punch.

These are sweet little cards, and in the Love Note Holder make a gorgeous gift for a teacher or work-mate. And because they are so small, they are really quick to make, and great for using up scraps.

Old friends and scrapbook albums

2010-03-09T08:47:50+11:00

I promised myself I would do a scrapbook layout per month this year, as I am really more of a card-maker. For March, I have got something a bit different to show you. It's a whole album!

Started in February 2007 for a friend who was moving interstate, the album never got finished, but Shirley came back for a visit last week, so I finally got myself into gear and completed the last 15-16 pages of her album.

I have uploaded the whole album here as there are a couple of EastLink people I know would love to see it, and as far as scrapbooking goes, it was a bit of a mini miracle that I did soooo many pages.

Thanks for your friendship Shirley, and for motivating me to complete one more unfinished project, and getting it out of my craft room!!

Kaleidoscope Love Notes

2010-03-05T16:26:00+11:00

The Summer Mini is so full of gorgeous products, I feel as though I am only just discovering some of them, even though the catalogue is almost at an end. Have you seen the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper (DSP)? It is so yummy, very fresh and funky.

Many of you have seen the Love Notes Card Holder I made using my favourite Urban Garden DSP. Now I have revisited the project with totally different gelati colours to play with and it has been such fun! I love the cute girly cards, and if there's someone in your life who doesn't do chocolate for Easter, this would be an awesome alternative gift - lovely Easter colours, and it won't melt in these bizarre weather patterns we've been having!

I have matched this paper with one of my favourite sets from the Summer Mini - "I {heart} Hearts", an 8 piece stamp set for $42.95 which is full of heart stamps. I have never lashed out on a heart set before, but all the samples I have seen using this set have been lovely and so much fun.

For greetings I have used "Whimsical Words" stamp set which you can receive for free with any qualifying Sale-a-bration order. To find out how, click here.

Love notes are gorgeous little 7cm x 7.5cm cards - perfect for leaving on someone's desk or pillow, and I love how cute the little envelopes are - I always slip a small off-cut of DSP into the envelope as well, so they have that luxurious "lined" look.

This is another project I am going to have to hide from my goreous nieces or they'll drive me mad until they have each made one of their own. Good thing the love notes card and envelope packs are only $13.50 for 20 cards and envelopes.

Too cute, don't you think?

My lovely fellow demonstrator Christine Blain has also been having fun with the Kaleidoscope DSP, and she sent me this glorious birthday card - please note, she has HAND cut out that butterfly - what a talented person you are Christine, it's such a bright, cheery card! Thank you so much!

And this card has just the right amount of bling too - notice that lovely yellow rhinestone and the tiny dabs of dazzling diamonds on the wings and body - beautiful Christine!!

Well, that's it for me for now - hope you're feeling all bright and inspired going into the long weekend - for those having one, and I hope whatever your plans for the weekend, you have a good one.

Cheers, Kathryn.

More on Easter - just another excuse to eat more chocolate!!

2010-03-03T11:56:45+11:00

The advantage of buying easter eggs to use in photos of easter cards to go on blogs, (unless you're particularly frugal or disciplined - neither of which would describe me), is that once you've got the photos in the bag, you get to EAT the props!! Woo hoo - looks like I might be making Easter projects for the whole of March! LOL

Actually, I have been dying to try out the "Sweet Treat Cups" from the Summer Mini catalogue - there are soooo many things you can put in them. Since I had a workshop lined up for last Sunday afternoon with some very dear, regular customers of mine, I was determined to make at least one project with the "Sweet Treat Cups" (STC), just so that I had something new to show them.

So, on Saturday, I flicked through the Ideas Book & Catalogue to see which stamp set jumped out at me (they have a habit of jumping out - especially if they have been gathering dust on the shelf for a long time), and I had a sudden moment of inspiration - I wonder if the rub-ons will go onto the STCs? So I dug out "Planter Box" rub-ons, found an image that would fit in the centre of the STC, applied it, played around with colours for a bit, matched the rub-on with "Enjoy Every Moment" stamp set and hey presto!

I can see I am going to have to order a whole heap more STC's before the Summer Mini expires on the 31st of March, because as soon as all my nieces see this, they will want to make them for all their friends!

I just love it how Stampin' Up! products all co-ordinate so easily - even that gorgeous flower brad from the silver Hodgepodge Hardware set - it's too cute, and it adds just the right touch to "finish" the card.

Ooops! Looks like a little mouse nibbled the corner of one of those eggs! Shhh! don't tell anyone :o)

But DO tell everyone, there are hundreds of items you can put in the Sweet Treat Cups to make unique and individual cards and there are only 4 weeks left of the Summer Mini Catalogue and Sale-a-bration, so if you'd like to try them out, or make some of these cards for Easter, email me today.

Products Used:

Sweet Treat Cups - pg 8 Summer Mini $6.50 for box of 12
1 3/4" Circle Punch - pg 8 Summer Mini $30.95
Enjoy Every Moment set of 11 stamps - pg 97 IB&C $53.95
Planter Box Rub-ons pg 139 IB&C - $19.95
Silver Hodgepodge Hardware - pg 149 IB&C $57.95
or you could try Flower or Filigree Designer Brads - pg 148 IB&C $11.25

Back later this week with some more lovely BRIGHT things from the Summer Mini.

Kathryn (e: kathryn@katlodesigns.com)

Easter Blog Hop

2010-02-28T06:00:00+11:00

Are you ready for the next Art With Heart Team Blog Hop? Well, wait no longer, here it is!

Our theme is Easter so you’re in for a real treat just to get you in the mood for all that chocolate next month! I have made some small gift packages, perfect for a handful of little solid eggs, and a matching card.

I have used

Eggcoutrements Stamp Set and
Spring Floral Stampin’ Round Wheel both from the Summer Mini Catalogue
Urban Garden Designer Series Paper
Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze Card and Ink
Baja Breeze & Kiwi Kiss ribbon

The Art with Heart team consists of over 80 Stampin’ Up! demonstrators across Australia. We have a great team forum and heaps of support from like minded demonstrators. If you’d like to become part of this great team just email me for more details.

The blog hop will be a monthly event happening on the last day of every month. There are 12 stops along the way, and you may have just come from Christine Blain’s blog or you might be starting here. At the end of each post there will be a link to take you to the next stop on the tour. It would be fantastic if you could leave a comment on each blog!

So grab a cuppa, and set off on what we are hoping will be an inspirational journey! and we hope you will visit each one to see the wonderful creations we have to show you! If you leave a comment on each and every blog and then email Nikki at nikki@inkyart.com.au, your name will be put into the hat to win some beautiful blog candy. There is a deadline of 72 hours to leave your comments and only non SU demos are eligible to win the candy - although we'd love all visitors to leave some comments please.

The next stop along the way is Kimmie Mieklejohn.

Have a nice journey, and don’t forget to leave comments for everyone!

Colourful Kaleidoscope

2010-02-25T20:18:57+11:00

Did you know that Stampin' Up!'s biggest promotion of the year is currently underway and lots of those funky free stamp sets are walking out the door?

Sale-a-bration is on until March 31, which coincides with the end of the gorgeous Summer Mini Catalogue too, so I thought I'd have a play and mix together some of the products from the Summer Mini, with some of the free Sale-a-bration sets.

I am really thrilled with what I came up with - adore the colours of that yummy Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper, and love how well Whimsical Words and Vintage Labels stamp sets work with it!

I have used :

Kaleidoscope DSP from the Summer Mini $16.95 for a pack of 12 sheets of 12"x12" double sided paper
Vintage Labels and Whimsical Words Sale-a-bration stamp sets - free with any order over $100.00
Scallop Circle Punch from main catalogue $30.95
Various card, ribbon and inks to co-ordinate.

If you'd like to see any of the stamp sets or products before the promotion ends, give me a call as soon as possible as I only have a couple of dates left in March.

Kathryn 0418 361 931

New blog hop coming!

2010-02-23T09:30:09+11:00

Hi everyone!!

Are you ready for another blog hop? The Art with Heart team has been working hard again and this Sunday you will be able to hop from blog to blog checking out a whole heap of gorgeous Easter Creations.

Now I bet you can't wait to bounce out of bed on Sunday morning and jump on the internet! See you then!

Kathryn.

Circle Circus keeps rolling on

2010-02-17T08:11:00+11:00

On Monday I showed you some Crayon Resist ATC's made using Circle Circus stamp set from Stampin' Up!

It's a lovely funky set and very versatile. I have used up some of the offcuts from my ATC's to decorate a couple of items - really I'm just having a bit of fun trying how things go together.

This very pink card became a birthday card for one of my nieces. It was just a matter of cutting the strip into three matching lengths, mounting it onto Rose Red card, then onto some SU Designer Series Paper and adding ribbon and a greeting.

I love the simplicity of a card that just uses leftovers! My next project was to decorate the cover of an Art Journal which I will be using for my techniques book. Once again, a strip of prestamped and coloured circles is mounted on card, then attached to the front of the book - this little project isn't quite finished yet, as it needs a little more and I haven't decided exactly what :o)

Ballet Blue has got to be one of my favourite Stampin' Up! colours, and I adore the Tea Party Designer Series Paper I have used here too - with a little extra Circle Circus stamped in pink.

In case you're wondering, I also use the Spiral Punch for the bound edge of the book, and the sanding blocks to smooth the edges where I glued on the DSP (instead of folding them inside like I was covering school books).

Enjoy! Kathryn.

Crayon Resist

2010-02-15T16:06:36+11:00

Recently the Art with Heart team had a "Crayon Resist" technique ATC swap. ATC's are Artist's Trading Cards and they are the perfect (small) size for trying new techniques, then swapping the samples with your friends so you can all be inspired by the results.

I hadn't used the technique for a couple of years and actually had trouble finding a white wax crayon that gave me the result I wanted. In the end, I used left over pieces of an extra white house candle.

I used the SU stampset Fifth Avenue Floral, and inked my favourite rose stamp out of the set with Black Staz'on ink, then stamped onto gloss white card. Once dry, I used the piece of candle to colour some small sections, then inked up my brayer in Pale Plum ink and rolled all over it. Use a soft tissue to wipe back any excess ink on the white areas. To add interest I then stamped some random twigs in Elegant Eggplant around the edges.

I wasn't particularly impressed with the result so I decided to try again, adding layers of ink with the brayer, in between adding more and more wax to the image. The results are much more rose like with the extra depth.

I then decided I was up to my ears in purple so I changed the colour scheme and used So Saffron, Regal rose, Rose Red and Old Olive. It was hard to not be too heavy handed with the wax as it was really hard to see on the white gloss card. Nevertheless, I was much more pleased with the results.

However, for the swap, I wanted something a little more funky, so I got out my Stampin' Up! Ideas Book and Catalogue and started trawling the pages for a stamp set that jumped out and shouted "Crayon Resist Me!".

I found Circle Circus, and after inking up the gloss card again with black stazon, I decided to colour some of the circles first using a cotton bud, before I applied the wax. I really loved the results I was getting with the multiple layers and colours, so I had a good bit of a play.

These little snippets are mostly ATC's and some off-cuts - I stamped a full A4 sheet from which you then get 9 ATC's and one really good size strip for adding to a scrapbook page or card front. I haven't used up the left overs yet, but something dotty is sure to come out of it!

If you'd like learn more techniques, be sure to look out for my technique classes, returning in term 2 of this year.