And this? This made me laugh ; )

Hoot Hoot!!

Well, it's official ; )

I am now a Faraway Brown Owl in the WA Chapter.

So exciting!!!!

First meeting 28 February 2009 and now all I have to do is rustle up a little portable project to take with me.

Yay!!

Kylie xx

Hi.

Wow.

Geez.

It has been some time since my last post, hasn't it?

::blinks::

Yeah.

Sorry about that. Been having some crises of a personal nature (not that anyone's DIED or anything. Well, not YET anyway) which have caused somewhat of a ruckus in my life over the last several months (*sigh*) so, to cut a long story short, I haven't really felt much like posting.

My bad : /

I'll try to make it up to you now, although the posts may veer sharply away from the craft related and over towards the personal life from time to time.

You can't say you haven't been warned!!

So, anyhoodle, here are some of my NY resolutions for the fantastic 2009 year.

1. Craft a bit more. Have been a bit slack on this over the last little while, but I feel like I really should step up to the plate a bit more. I DID join the Perth chapter of Brown Owls yesterday (see either: http://www.meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com/ or http://www.brownowls.blogspot.com/ for further details), PLUS I'm also toying (no pun intended) with joining up to the Toy Society (http://www.thetoysociety.blogspot.com/) as this meshes in nicely with both this resolution and also resolution # 2;
2. Continue to try and be socially and environmentally aware. I've already made the switch over to green power with my provider well over a year ago, and although more expensive to obtain, by judicious turning off appliances at the wall and not leaving lights on my power bill is now actually less than it was at the same period last year. And that includes using my uber-expensive and uber-inefficient evaporative air conditioner (sadly I cannot change this as I am a renter...). I also have a Bokashi bin (well two, actually) which I can highly recommend, I use public transport or my pushbike where possible, green bags at the supermarket and as little packaging as possible. I tried a vege patch...but it hasn't worked out too well, so am going back to just herbs and buying veges from the markets;
3. Focus on me - whilst this might SEEM a little selfish, I just think that I have spent too much time over the last number of years (read 10+) worrying about other people and what they want and think etc etc etc to the detriment of my own 'self'. So, 2009 will be the year of the slightly selfish (in a good way!) Kylie ; )

I think that is all! I don't really have too many vices to give up (no, shoes are not a vice...they are a necessity!!) and I think these three little fellas are eminently achievable and nor are they totally selfishly focused on me, me, me!!

There it is! An update. At last!!

Xmas Card Tutorial

See - this is what you get when I've been away for a wee while....MY VERY FIRST TUTORIAL!!! XMAS CARDS!!! WOOt!!!

*ahem*

Anyhoodle, the instructions are fairly simple.

Step 1 - gather your materials. You will need (most likely) the following items

• Some cardstock for the main body of the card. I have used red;
• Some plain coloured cardstock (I've used cream) for stamping on;
• some more cardstock in a contrasting colour. I have used green;
• Assorted stamps. I've used a music one and also a mistletoe one, some christmas themed ones and a merry christmas greeting, but use whatever you like or have on hand!
• Stamp pads - I think mine is an Adirondack one in a browny colour (maybe caramel?)
• An assortment of patterned, seasonal papers. I had a heap of partly used sheets in my stash. I've used all different, but you could use all the same. Up to you!!;
• Adhesive - whichever you prefer. I'm using an old Creative Memories strip sticky thingo, because that is what I had on hand!;
• Assorted tools - paper trimmer, pencil, scallop-edged scissors, eraser, ruler, sponge, eyelets and tool, normal scissors, water colour pencils or markers (if you use watercolour pencils you will also need a small paintbrush and some water) and ribbon or thread if you plan on having eyelets on your cards etc;
• and some scrap paper for masking, and I like to use some scrap paper to lean on when I stamp.

(you will note that my picture also includes some gel pens. I confess that I did not use these...also pictured is my scrubby stamp cleaner and a tatty old face washer to clean my stamps with.)

Step 2 - mark out the size of your finished base card onto the cardstock and cut out the appropriate pieces. Alternatively, you could just buy pre-made cards, but I couldn't find the colour I wanted. Just a reminder, if you check on the Australia Post website, they will tell you which sizes are preferred...and I think you can get cheaper postage (might pay to check with your local friendly AustPost peeps!!).



Step 3 - Measure a rectangle (or square if that is your shape) a bit smaller than the front of the card, and cut an appropriate number out of the printed paper. Trim with the scalloped scissors as shown in the photo. I have found - via trial and error - that it is best not to snip all the way to the end of the scissors, as they tend to have a little flat bit which will result in some odd shaped scallops. Attach to the front of the card in a centred position, top and bottom. Step 4 - Measure another rectangle (or again with the square) out of the contrasting card which is slightly smaller again than the base card. Trim with the scalloped scissors again and attach in a centred position to the patterned paper you have already stuck down.
Everyone still with me?

Step 5 - Measure yet another rectangle, this time out of the cream card. This will need to be slightly smaller again than the last rectangle you cut. This will be the card onto which you will stamp your images. I find it easier to measure all of these rectangles out, but to NOT cut them out until the stamping is finished. This way I don't have to fiddle with the card too much when stamping and masking.

Step 6 - Grab your stamps and ink and scrap paper. Stamp your main image onto the scrap paper and allow the ink to dry. Once this is dry, trim the image as close to the edges as possible. This is to create a mask for the next couple of steps. Your mask doesn't have to be too detailed. For example, I have not gone into the tiny details of the mistletoe sprig, but it still gives the effect I am after. Obviously, the two other rectangular stamps were far easier!! Step 7 - stamp your chosen images into the rectangles you have drawn on your cream card. I also printed my greeting onto unused card on the edge. Step 8 - Grab the mask you have made earlier. Place this as closely over the stamped image as possible. It is advisable to wait until the freshly stamped image is dry before you do this, otherwise you risk smudges! Stamp your music (or text - whatever) stamp over the top of the masked image.
Step 9 - Once the stamping is dry, using watercolour pencils or markers, colour the image as applicable. The photo illustrates my mistletoe card which had quite a bit of colour, but the other two images I had did not have as much colour. If you use water colour pencils, be careful that the stamped image does not run too much. I used pencils, and as the ink is not heat set it tended to run a little as you are dabbing it with water. Step 10 - Once the images are completely dry, cut the rectangles out and trim with the scallop scissors. Also trim your greeting. I have stamped my music image over my greeting without using a mask. Step 11 - Now the messy bit. Using a small piece of sponge, apply ink to the edges of the cream coloured card to make it look 'aged'.


Step 12 - At this point, you could use a punch and attach eyelets. I started to do this, but was having eyelet issues, so only made one card like this. If you do use eyelets, you can thread ribbon or embroidery thread or similar through them. Otherwise, skip this step.
Step 13 - Attach your stamped images to the front of your card!! And voila! you are done.

I made six of these for a Christmas card swap that I joined, and I think they turned out rather lovely (if I do say so myself!!!)

Super Stitch-a-long

I am a somewhat experienced stitcher-er (altho you would not belive the dramas I am having trying to type the word!!). I have been cross-stitching for years and years and years after succumbing to my mother's very insistent demands that I learn as a child, having taken out prizes in our local country show (BWAHAHAHAhahahahaha take THAT elderly CWA ladies...). I have also dabbled in hardanger and other embroidery styles with a great deal of success. i'm one of those detail oriented people that counted cross-stitch and the ilk is really easy for.

But now...

Now I have joined Pip's Xmas stitchalong at www.meetmeatmikes.blogspot.com. I think even for the mostly uninitiated this would be an easy-peasy project to do. Pip has very clear and concise, easy to understand instructions (complete with pictures) and is running a wee tutorial every week or so (I think). We are onto the second step already, although the first step was just to gather the materials.

Soooooo.....give it a try peeps!! The results should be quite cute and if you don't have a stocking recipient of your own (or are going to keep it for yerself!) you might have a niece / nephew / neighbourhood child / co-workers offspring to give it to. Or otherwise - maybe a child who is sick in hospital?

Anyhoo, get out there and give it a go!! (Youngish) Stitchers of the world, Unite!!!

That is all :)

(Except for a brief Xmas card tutorial over the next few days. My FIRST EVER tutorial!! Woot!!)

Attention Please...

Attention please...

*coughs*

The Management of this blog wish to apologise for the recent extended break in transmission.

Due to several technical difficulties, an unscheduled arrival, insufficient hours in the day and a modicum of blog ennui, your (semi) regularly scheduled programming has been interrupted.

The above matters have now been rectified, and as such, we shall shortly be returning you to your regularly scheduled transmissions.

In the interim, and whilst you are waiting for your service to resume, please feel free to check out other more responsible bloggers who are waiting on the Blogroll on the right hand side of this page.

Thankyou for your patience.

Wacky iPod Shuffle Wednesdays

Wow!

::blinks::

Wednesdays rock around really, really quickly :)

Here's your helping for today:

1. Hip Hip Hooray - Sneaky Sound System
2. Let It Be - The Beatles
3. Vogue - Madonna
4. Summer Rain - Belinda Carlisle
5. You've Lost That Loving Feeling - The Righteous Brothers
6. You're So Vain - Chocolate Starfish
7. Don't Bring Me Down - ELO
8. Take Me Home Country Roads - John Denver (anyone else remember doing this song at singing in primary school?)
9. Penny Lane - The Beatles
10. One of Us - ABBA

Hmmm, a bit Beatles heavy today. Not that that's a bad thing!!