Washi tape Feathers

Sometimes do you find you look at your stash & think...ugh! I really don't have the right embellishment, right?!

I do that all the time.

Until that is I joined the Queen & Co Design Team. 

I was forced to stop being lazy & think out of the box a little to create embellishments and accents, whilst making the most of their gorgeous products!

This card is the result of one of those light bulb moments!

A Note of Thanks by Kim Watson

• Gesso a white card
• Add yellow & gold Shimmerz
• Splatter with charcoal Shimmerz
• Machine with zigzag stitching
• Punch a vellum pinked circle
• Layer washi tape & a stamped sentiment in a little cluster
• Collage pink & yellow washi tape on a cardstock base & die cut feathers from MFT Stamps
• Add buttons & bling bits

I am stoked with the result. A gorgeous card requiring very few supplies...I urge you to try one too.

Thanks for visiting!

Fill Your Shaker Shape with Flowers!

Hi everyone!

Kim Watson here today with a card created using the uber cute Foam Flower Shaker kit. I did something a little different with this set...instead of the traditional topper filled shaker...I filled it with flowers & diamonds. Hello, tell me that isn't the best combination for a special friend in your life??

Hello by Kim Watson

For this card, I created loose shaker box with clear windows both sides. Before closing the underside I filled the shaker with sparkly diamond toppers giving the card gorgeous sparkle & shine. A variety of mixed media techniques on the base card using texture paste, gesso, ink, gold paint & stencils creates the perfect canvas for my trendy flower shaker. 

I took a mixture of NEW Pom flowers, separated the layers and clustered them flat underneath the shaker. The cluster creates a little multi-colored mat and a GORGEOUS focal point. Gold yellow, Petite Posies scattered around, add subtle bling & texture. 

Products used: Foam Flower Shaker kit, Diamond Toppers, Pom-pom flowers, Petite Posies

I'm glad you stopped by & I hope you found this inspiring!

Have a happy crafty day friend!

~Kim

Over the Rainbow Shaker cards by Queen & Co.

Welcome back crafty friends!

Today I have a fun idea, the perfect card to cheer someone up. Again using the fabulous Foam Front cards from Queen & Co, I chose the Rainbow Die & Card Set. I did something a little different with this set too...I created x2 cards with the same dies but with x2 very different results. 

Take a look.

Weather the Storm card by Kim Watson

For this card, I created a rainbow not only using the shaker sections, but also pieces in between, this gave me the correct amount of spaces for a proper x7 piece rainbow. For a little bit of fun & texture I filled the shaker windows with sweet little Pops, matching the colors of the paint underneath. The cloud shaker was filled with sparkly diamond toppers giving the clouds sparkly & shine.

To create the inky clouds scene, I used the cloud shaker paper cover as a mask & an ink pad. Shifting its position and varying the ink pressure, created areas of light & dark. The result...a pretty sky. A cute sun motif & sentiment from the Partly Cloudy Stamp Set from Lawn Fawn, & clear Twinkle Drops were exactly what I needed to complete the card.

Products used: Foam Front Rainbow Card Set, Foam Front Rainbow Die, Diamond Toppers, Pops, Twinkle Drops

For my next card I reversed the rainbow, which is a refreshing take on things.

Weather the Storm card by Kim Watson

Swapping the card cover piece with watercolor paper, I painted a blended rainbow & allowed it to dry. Using the die in the card set, I cut a new cover, then filled the rainbow shaker pieces with a combination of clear Diamond Toppers & clear Tiny Bubbles. The cloud on the other hand I filled with coordinating rainbow Tiny Bubbles.

To really support the vibrant rainbow of color on this card, I took a mixture of NEW Pom-pom flowers, separated the layers and clustered them around the page; matching Pops were the perfect flower centers.

Lastly, I selected sequins that also matched the different colors of the paint on the cover. Keeping them self colored added subtle twinkle & texture. I couldn't have asked for a more appropriate sentiment, than the one I selected from Paper Smooches Stamps. 

Voila! A pretty way to send someone colorful good wishes.

Products used: Foam Front Rainbow Card Set, Foam Front Rainbow Die, Diamond Toppers, Pops, Tiny Bubbles, Pom-pom flowers

Thanks for stopping by!

Kim Watson

'Go for double' with this clear window Shaker card!

Hellooo lovely friends,

Today I have a cool card idea, I know you are going to LOVE! Using the fabulous Foam Front Polaroid Die & Card Set from Queen & Co, I did something a little different with this set...I created a double window, clear on both sides, so one can read the Happy Birthday sentiment inside the card.

Happy Birthday Card by Kim Watson

Using the card foam front, along with x2 cellophane window pieces, I filled the window shaker with a festive mixture of colored, Sequin Sprinkles & clear Tiny Bubbles. The combination of colors mixed with punched black stars give the card a wonderful celebratory vibe. Using the 2nd piece of cellophane, I 'closed' the shaker, then by positioning the die on the actual card to fit directly under the foam polaroid, I was able to simply create a window, allowing one to see the sentiment stamped (TCP Studio) on the inside of the card.

What better way to decorate a birthday card than with a cute cupcake. I drew the cupcake onto cardstock, then filled it with washi tape frosting. A sharp craft knife trimmed away the excess, leaving a scrumptious cupcake accent.

Products used: Foam Front Polaroid Card Set, Foam Front Polaroid Die, Washi Tape, Sequin Sprinkles, Tiny Bubbles, Button Bouquet II

I hope you like this one!! 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kim

Make waves with Queen & Co Foam Front cards!

Hi everyone!

Kim Watson here today with a card created, using the fabulous Foam Front Waves Die & Card Set. What I love about the Queen & Co. shaker and die card kits is that they take care the hard part of putting the card together, we get the fun part...decorating them :D

Happy Birthday Card by Kim Watson

Cutting a piece of texture board 4 1/4" x5 1/2" I created an ombre effect using Shimmerz paints mists. To do this, I spritzed my craft mat with water, then made puddles of color, in order of how I wanted the colors to blend. Swiping the texture board through the colors left me with a gorgeous ocean inspired ombre color-wash. This I die cut into a wave card front.

Using the card foam front, along with the cellophane window piece, each wave was filled with a combination of toppers. The different varieties mixed together helped me match the surrounding ink colors more accurately. The effect is a pretty ombre, to match the color wash. Embossed & punched clouds make the cutest cluster at the top of the card.

A stamped boat image (Paper Smooches) with the sails filled in with aqua striped washi tape, adhered to a circular badge, a scattering of red buttons and a banner sentiment (Simon Says stamp & die set) are the perfect accent to finish off this sweet, summer inspired card.

Products used: Foam Front Waves & Card Set, Foam Front Waves & Card Die, Washi Tape, Button Bouquet II, Donuts, Tiny Bubbles, Pops, Diamonds Pastel

Thanks for stopping By!

Kim

Scrapbooking your other passions?

As you know, February means Valentine’s Day. This page focuses on one of my greatest loves,

but not necessarily romance. Instead of focusing on a sweetheart, it focuses on where we live; one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

When tackling this article assignment for Papercrafts & Scrapbooking magazine, I found choosing only a few photos from the 100's I have on file, a difficult task. 

The thing that jumped out at me was the amount of breath-taking sunset images I had captured since living here in Kommetjie, so finally settled on 3 of my most recent to use on this scrapbook page. It went without saying that I would have to enlarge one of them to maximise its 'wow-factor'. The shot in question was taken using my iPhone, seriously...no lenses or effects. It looks like that IRL :)

I feel so spoilt at the sheer amount of beauty that surrounds us merely a 5 minutes drive from our house. 

Our neighborhood has an enormous feeling of space & freedom, having the mountains behind & in front of us, with the Atlantic in between . It makes me happy to wake up every morning, knowing that a moments walk or drive in any direction, and & I can be surrounded by world-class beauty.

Love This by Kim Watson: Supplies: Cardstock: AmericanCrafts; Patterned paper: Elle's Studio, +Fancy Pants Designs; Chipboard, Tags, Buttons, Envelope, Stickers, Blackboard label: +Fancy Pants Designs ; Decorative Tape: +Freckled Fawn; Hemp: +Close To My Heart ; Stamps: +Technique Tuesday , Elle's Studio, Cocoa Daisy; Ink: +Ranger Ink ; Pen: +Kuretake ZIG ; Adhesive: +TombowUSA, +Thermoweb, +Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L ; Tools: Mini Attacher by +Ranger Ink; Cutting mat, Scissors, Trimmer by +Fiskars

Making the most of a preprinted tag from  Elle's Studio with the addition of a big button, chipboard from Fancy Pants Designs & stamps, creating the cutest accent cluster for the corner of the big photo. 

Adding another accent cluster to the bottom right corner of the large photo, creates movement across the page as well as balance. Don't you LOVE that cute stamp from Technique Tuesday?!

More layering of accents from the Memories Captured collection from Fancy Pants Designs & stamped images from Technique Tuesday.

So I challenge you to try scrapbooking another passion or great love in your life, other than the 2 legged variety :D

Glad you stopped by!

Crafty ways with everyday products!

Yes...it is the week of LOVE!

Yes... it is commercialised......but let's be honest it is fun, and you can be assured, your loved ones on the receiving end of your love gifts & spoils are surely not going to be complaining about commercialism hehe!

The page I am sharing is a scrapbook layout as published in the Feb 2014 issue of Paper Crafts  & Scrapbooking magazine. It is about our cute daughter & one of her (boy) BFF's. Their love & support of each other in an age where life puts so much pressure on one, is refreshing & sweet! Worthy of a scrapbook page.

Love you to the Moon by Kim Watson: Supplies: Cardstock: American Crafts; Patterned paper: +Heidi Swapp, Elle's Studio; Tags & Stamps: Elle's Studio; Buttons: +Fancy Pants Designs; Glitter: Martha Stewart; Mist, Gesso, Ink and Texture Paste: +Ranger Ink; Pen: +Kuretake ZIG ; Adhesive: +Thermoweb, +TombowUSA ; Stencils: The Crafters Workshop; Cutting mat, Scissors, Trimmer by +Fiskars ; Buttons; Other: Black charcoal pencil.

When creating this page....I was challenged to use everyday...ordinary things found at home & in your junk drawer.

These are the obscure things I used: 

• Bamboo coaster mat
• Crossword pages 
• Ticket strips
• Mat & beads
• Dental floss

I gesso'd a bunch of tickets from the strip to knock back the red color, & created paper feathers in different sizes. One I left as is, the other I covered in liquid glue & dredged in fine gold glitter. Gorgeous!!

See the little wooden frame around the sentiment card? I used a bamboo coaster mat, undid it and used the thin bamboo sticks as the supports for my feathers & frame. I took my extra minty dental floss & dyed with lime green mist...it became a super color accent for the layout, which I looped & tied across the page.  

BONUS: my page smells all fresh & minty! :)

Using a kiddies art mat & beads, I created a 'love' inspired accent which when ironed melted & sealed together. Using zig-zag scissors, I cut the ironing sheet into a circles, stitched it & matted the bead accent on top. The discarded bead template came in real handy to add 'comb-like' texture to texture paste onto the background before misting & inking. I tore dictionary pages into quarters & gesso'd them onto my background page for texture & interest. 

Left white, I used the dental floss to stitch buttons & hand stitching areas for added interest.

Ok...let me say....as bizarre as this challenge was...I loved it. It stretched me creatively & I loved every moment of designing it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Scrapbooking with faux chalkboard techniques

During a recent interview with +Debbie Hodge  over at #MasterfulScrapbooking, we were discussing a faux chalkboard technique on my page Wild Child created for the Process Play article, where I used a white gel to transform plain black alphas.

As promised this is the other page I mentioned featuring a few #fauxchalkboard techniques I used for an assignment for the +Papercrafts&Scrapbooking May 2014 issue seen on page 44.

Live Life by Kim Watson

Supplies: Cardstock: +Bazzill Basics Paper ; Patterned paper, Decorative Bag, Buttons, Stickers, Die Cuts: (Memories Captured) +Fancy Pants Designs; Metal Flair: Evalicious; Clear stamps: Autumn Leaves (live Life- old), My Minds Eye (and), +MFT Stamps (enjoy the awesome journey, stars, triangle border), +Hero Art Stamps (speech bubbles), +Technique Tuesday (arrows), Cocoa Daisy Designs (arrows, chevron); Date stamp: American Crafts; Ink: Close to my Heart, +Close To My Heart; Stampin’Up; Embossing Powder: Stampin’Up; Color media: (pencils) Tombow, (white gel pen) Sakura; Adhesive: Tombow, Thermo web; Twine: +Close To My Heart; Tools: (mat, trimmer, scissors, punch) Fiskars American, (acrylic blocks, paper piercer, sewing kit) Close to My Heart, (heat gun) American Crafts, Sewing Machine

Idea #1:

Draw a double line border around your page & hand-write your journalinhg using a white gel pen. For an authentic chlakboard feel, shave actual chalk dust onto the page & gently rub it in in areas around the page, giving a chalky smudged effect. 

Idea #2:

Stamp speech bubble images onto black cardstock then emboss with white embossing powder for crisp white images. 

Idea #3: 

Create a chalkboard style conversational title using a mixture of fonts & sentiment stamps. Emboss with white embossing powder for crisper images. Using soft colored pencil crayons like the ones I used from +TombowUSA, work into your design using a crosshatching & rubbing technique for an authentic chalkboard vibe. 

I hope you feel inspired to try some techniques of your own....it is a fun creative technique to try!

Happy crafty Tuesday friends!

Going Native + a Tutorial

Do you know Technique Tuesday has the most awesome metal dies & stamp sets?? I created this card using some of them. Inspired by a talented Aussie scrapper, Lizzie...I thought I'd try my hand at going Native. 

You are so Totally Awesome card by Kim Watson

Finished size: 6x4"

Supplies: (Cardstock card blank: DCWV, Plain cardstock: Stamping Up, Spray Mist: Ranger, Wooden button: Bella Boulevard, Sentiment Stamp: (You are Awesome) Technique Tuesday, Chalk Ink: Prima Marketing, Pen: Tombow USA, Metal 'awesome' die: Technique Tuesday, Manual die-cutting machine: Spellbinders)

If you are wondering how I created the snazzy, native-vibe, triangle border.... see below. It was as easy as a hand cut triangle from cardstock, used as a stencil & some fun inks from Prima.

How to create the colored feather: 

•  Cut a feather shape from cardstock, it doesn't have to be a work of art. Wonky makes it authentic.
• Mist onto your craft sheet, I used magenta, turquoise & yellow.
• Turn your feather over & press the right side into the mist...smooshing it a bit.
• Carefully pick it up & allow to dry.
• Now get all primal & decorate the feather with ethnic style patterns.
• Attach to front on your card with a big wooden button & twine. 
• Finish up with your stamped & die cut sentiment and you are all done!

These are the die & stamp set designed by Ali Edwards I used if you want to grab some for yourself.

Glad you stopped by! 

Stamps 3 ways & a tutorial

You might be like me & have a gazillion stamps calling to be used in creative new ways? Today I want to share a page using a variety of techniques. They might be one you know well or not...but either way I hope this will spark you to haul out those stamps & get stamping :)

The same stamp used in x3 different ways, oh yeah...I am a lover of getting value for my money.  

1. Inked in tonal colors & stamped onto patterned paper.
2. Inked in contrast color & stamped onto wood veneer.
3. Stamp pressed into hot foam.  {This is a technique I saw some years back shown to me by my friend Amy Peterman.}

These are the stamps I used from Fancy Pants. 

Scrapbook.com still has one set left to buy...so be quick if you want it! I linked it up for you :) 

{sorry I am shamless in my enabling}

My lil' Stinker by Kim Watson

Dry Emboss onto foam using an ordinary Acrylic stamp- seriously, it works!!

1. Heat the craft foam with your heat gun. Not too much...the stuff could melt or catch fire which would be problematic even from the most adventurous of crafter. 
2. Whilst still warm & soft, firmly press acrylic stamps onto surface. Hold it there for a couple of seconds for the designs to 'take'. 
3. When cool...cut out with sharp scissors. LOVIN' my Fiskars shears. 
4. Go on & embellish your page :)

 Here is a close up of what the cute accents look like.

Now for the next idea. Stamp onto wood veneer.

1. Ink your stamp well with a color that will show up onto the veneer base.
2. Once dry, cut circle out with your Fiskars Shears {which are so cool, they can cut almost ANY substraight.}
3. Lightly sand away any burrs
4. Layer with your other completed circle accents.

 Here is a close up of the wooden accent complimenting the fun layered cluster.

 Now on the subject of Fancy Pants Designs. Have you heard? Fancy pants are having their first ever warehouse sale.... packs like these one are being sold at ridiculously low prices in comparison to their actual value.

So I strongly suggest, if you like a good bargain, and you'd better grab one of these babies before they sell out. See HERE for all details, prices & to purchase online @GetFancyStudio {PS: they are shipping internationally too...woop!}

OK... crafty post over. Have a super day, I'm really glad you stopped by!

I'm giving away x4 stamps + Cocoa Daisy blog hop.

 Cocoa Daisy has done some remodeling and updating, making our home a place you want to be. Drop in and see how our scrapbook home is your scrapbook home too. To help celebrate, we are doing a blog hop and giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post to be entered to win a set of all FOUR of this month's exclusive, sold out, Cocoa Daisy Stamps.

The celebration doesn't end there, we're also offering a couple of promotions for new subscribers:

1.Sign up for a 6 month kit subscription and you will receive 20% off your first month's kit.
2. Sign up for a 6 month kit AND a 6 month stamp subscription and you will get 20% off your first month's kit and stamps PLUS an exclusive Cocoa Daisy Tote bag.

Using the Trellis stamp, I created this card using the March Cocoa Daisy kit.

Best Wishes card by Kim Watson

 

 

Here is the hopping schedule starting at the Cocoa Daisy blog where you can also find a complete list of blog hoppers. On everyones blog you will find a new card & sketch... that means 21 fresh new ideas!

(PS: In order to win the set I am giving away, you only have to leave a comment on this blog post & make sure you Tweet or Facebook about it. Everyone involved in the blog hop will have a set to giveaway, so you have 21 chances at winning)

 Start here:
Cocoa Daisy
Emily Pitts
Ronda Palazzari
Jen Davis
Mandy Koeppen
Vicki Boutin
Alissa Fast
Lisa Saunders
Julie Fei-Fan Balzer
Stephanie Wheeler
Kim Watson (you're here)
Lisa Pace
Anja Wade
Denise Morrison
Annabelle O'Malley
Anna Bjorklund
Sharmaine Kruijver
Amy Tan
Diana Fisher
Nathalie Kalbach
Ali Edwards

You have until Sunday night 8pm EST, so spread the word... Tweet it, Blog it, Facebook it... let everyone share in the excitement happening over at the Cocoa Daisy's NEW website!  Don't forget that the 15th March is the INTERNATIONAL design team gallery reveal, so stop on by for fun & giveaways! 

I am thrilled you stopped by!
Have an awesome weekend!