Just circles and a star...

Howdy peeps,

How's things?

Still truckin'?

Doing okay?

All's fine over here in Punch Art Fun world at the moment. Not a whole lot of crafting going on, but ebb and flow, it's all about ebb and flow. Are you crafting a lot?

Thought I'd share this cutie today. It's made using a star and my personal favourites - circles.

Circles - love 'em, collect 'em, need 'em in every size. That's how I roll. Get it? ha ha.

Anyway, the kitty cat is made from circles - head, body, paws, nose and even the accents. The ears are made from star fronds? Star points? Star bits...whatever they are.

And because you can't really tell, this is a little card. It's only about 5cm wide and 10cm high, something like that. Cute.

I'm not really a cat person, but this kitty is fine. Are you a cat person? I know you are Sue! And Liz!

Have a great day peeps (I sound like a teenager),

:o)

PS. Now, I've just realised (I just went into my files and stuff and I've come back) that I've posted this card before. This answers the question that didn't exist until now - Do you ever scrap the same photo twice? The answer is yes. Do you blog about the same card more than once? Um, yes!

A Scrap Quiz - What kinds of photos do you love to take?

Hey there everyone,

Hope you all had a great Easter!

(Just realised I've written that twice in two days...what with all the holidays going on at the moment I don't know if I'm coming or going. Hope you had a great Easter though. Asking twice is better than not asking at all, don't you think? ha ha)

Okay, I thought I'd shift gears today and do a Scrap Quiz question.

We're up to Question 3 - What kinds of photos do you love to take?

Lots, but I've got my favourites. Here they are....

Ones of the fellas when we're out and about. 

Notice the direction Cody's facing all the time? He's such a water dog.

Ha ha - going to the water.

Ones of him.

Look at that tongue. And again, near water, or on it :o) that was a new experience for him.

Ooooh, looove these.

The unawares shots. 

We were camping in the top shot and I was sitting around the fire. Turned to my left, zoomed and clicked. Got a couple of others at the same time - some of my favourites for 2010. Dad's eating some damper and he made some pretty nice billy tea too. Did the whole swinging thing and everything.

And above was just recently at a family birthday party. The party was for the little fella. Part party because it was for Joey too, for his dedication.

The everyday, 'we were here' shots. 

Look at all that ironing. I've got about as much waiting in the wings right now too. It never ends.

And note the Kilometrico pens - almost thought I had to go buy some because I couldn't find one within 5 secs the other day. It's a thing I have. Must always have pens handy.

(I love this photo. She was 100, can you believe that? Andrew's Grandma, what a lovely lady she was)

The 'pose for me' shots.

Okay, ready? Smile!

Love seeing happy faces - look at all Joey's teeth.

And the last type - the silly shots. 

This one was asked for....

This one was not :o)

He ran into the frame as eight-year-olds do. I almost deleted it, glad I didn't. A happy accidental photo.

So, there you go, they're the shots I love to take.

I do love photos - old and new. They're fab.

Love the people in them too. They're fabber.

Yes, even you, Jack. Mr-Run-Into-My-Frame...

Following and such

Hi there,

Hope you had a great Easter!

Just a quick mention today about a couple of gadgets I've added to the blog recently.

There's a Follow By Email on the top right over there in the sidebar and a Followers section further down under About Me. See them? You can subscribe to them if you like. One or both, it's up to you. I hope they're helpful to you.

And just out of interest - I checked out my stats to see where my readers are and do you know we have Punch Art Funners from all around the world?

Australia
New Zealand
USA
Canada
Brazil
El Salvador
Germany
Italy
Denmark
South Korea
South Africa
France
UK
Greece
Spain
India
Netherlands
Guatemala

Isn't that amazing?

Hello to all of YOU!

I hope you all enjoy your time here with me. I love punch art and I love blogging and I love sharing it all with you. It's a real pleasure.

And just for kicks, I've just worked out that that this is my 14th year of doing punch art. Whoa, baby!

Okay, have a great day - see you tomorrow :o)

PS. Thanks, Dee!

Easter Projects - Special Delivery

Hi there!

(Sorry, I'm at a real loss as to how to start these posts...hi just always seems appropriate)

I think this may be the last of the Easter projects today. There's been so many, I know.

This one's a tag card.

Like the egg cards, I folded the card base first and then put the fold just inside the die edge before I die cut the tag.

Cute, huh? I love this technique and it's so easy.

I tied the baker's twine on just the front part of the tag. I had visions of the recipient ripping the card apart if it was tied together. Not good.

I thought it'd be good to put the sentiment on the white egg this time.

As you do, I looked through my stamps and found this one in a postmark/stamp/envelope/travel set I had. Thought it worked well for the egg. "Fragile" was the other option. Both looked good, but I chose this one.

Again I cut the fringed grass myself - takes a little while, but it's worth it.

If I made this card again, I'd shift that pink egg over to the right just a tad, or put another smaller egg in there.

Like I said above, I love this technique. Turns all those die shapes into card bases if you know what I mean. So great.

That's what I love about punches and dies, they're so versatile, and all you can ever do is find new ways to use them. Suits me.

Well, that's the end of all the Easter projects for this year and just in time for Easter too. Hope you enjoyed them all feel inspired to make some of your own.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Easter Projects - A big card

....for when you've got a lot to say, you want to make a big impact or you just want to use the huge oval die that you're lovin' right now :o)

Yes, it's a biggie!

A big card (A5 front) and a big egg. Makes sense.

I used the clear oval die and the paper is handmade paper that I got in a pack from PC. They do have some interesting stuff over there. I thought it made nice eggs.

Did a bit of embossing here to match the embossed paper.

The blue one is a spotty one (no name) from EZ-Cut (got it from PC). And the second is Candy Cane Stripes from Cuttlebug.

Scallop oval punch (blue size from Sullivans) - told you Scalloped ovals were a theme this Easter. With the pink hearts too.

I find my designing is like that - things follow a theme. I think it's meant to happen that way.

And to finish...

The huge cutie patootie rabbit card that you've seen before, but I couldn't resist putting in again.

I love seeing it nestled in the grass with the egg in front.

Wanted to show you the die I used for the card base above - it's called Card, Scallop. Sometimes seeing the pic on the front helps to identify it when shopping.

Okay, that's all for today!

Easter Projects - An easel card

Hi there,

Did you have a good weekend?

I've got something a little different to show you today. It's an easel card.

Have you ever made one before? This is my first. I don't know where I saw it, but I ended up googling "how to make an easel card" on You Tube and a video came up (don't you love You Tube?).

Here's the video I watched. (Her card is 4 1/4 square - I just used a regular-sized A5 card base and folded it as usual)

Easy, hey?

They're a bit of fun, good for display and still fold flat for mailing. Triple win.

Oh yes, before I forget, here's a pic of the Loopy punch from Martha. 

See the blue pic on the top of the box? All the loops look a little much up there, but toned down a bit, they're great. 

Sometimes you don't have to go all out with these punches and do them all over the page to get a good look. 

Totally goes with my paring down theme of late...

Here's my attempt at closing the card for mailing.

It was so used to sitting up that it wouldn't stay flat. You get the idea though.

I reckon you'd have to send instructions for your recipient, so they'd know how to display it, yes? Just because we know it's an easel card doesn't mean they do.

Used the fab scallop oval die for the frame again.

Lovin' it, lovin' it.

And here's the easel part.

You know, I watched the video and made the card, but as I sit here and type I don't know if I could go and make one again without racking my brain as to what to do. I'm going to watch the video again just to cement it in there, I think.

Okay, enjoy the card and your day :o) Bye now!

Easter Projects - Second tray with cards

Hi there fellow crafters!

More Easter projects coming your way today. I know, it's unusual for me to post on the weekends, but Easter's coming and I wanted to get these up for you!

Okay, so today I'm showing you the second tray I did with cards and bits in it. You'll notice above that the trays are different. 

Hmmm, the first one, with the rectangular cards at the back, was annoying me because every time I moved the tray they'd fall over. I tried to make it work, but eventually just decided to flick 'em outta there and replace them with a horizontal card. 

So much better.

Here's the tray on display at Photo Continental. Look at all those punches lined up on the wall there :o) 

Okay, let's take a look at the cards, shall we? 

Used the two largest shapes from Oval Banner die again for this one.

Lovin' these ovals right now.

Knew they'd come into their own at some point...

I decided to give the girlie a scalloped fringe this time using deco scissors. Like how it matches her curly ponytails. Flowers for ponytails are my fav for a girl.

Do you use your deco scissors at all? I still reach for mine after all these years....Remember when they went totally out of fashion and no one wanted a bar of them? Not me, I needed 'em for grass and water and fringes.

The trick with the scissors is to not get too excited with them. People used to shape their photos with them - that's getting a bit too excited in my opinion.

My deco scissors motto - a little bit goes a long way.

Oooh, love this one, but there's something missing...

You think so? 

Usually I do three things on a card and above (with the girlie card) it's - girl, eggs with stitching and heart. For the one below below that we'll get to in a minute, it's bunny, flag and grass. 

This one is animals, eggs and... nothing. 

I knew it when I did it. 

I knew it when I photographed it. 

I knew it when I put it on display. 

It's 98% there. 

I didn't want to do grass again because I'd done that a lot. 

I tried a flower, but it flung itself off the card. 

I tried the pink heart, but there wasn't enough room, plus it just wasn't right for this card. The big pink egg was also on that side too, so it would've had to've been changed and then the domino effect would've started....you know how it is.

So I left it. 

I knew it wasn't done...but I liked it anyway. 

Golly, what do you need?

This is the thing. Designing takes a lot of time. None of these things take 5 mins. I'm sure you agree with me on that.

How many times have you sat down at your desk to make something and you've been totally stumped and had no great ideas?

Or you've gone there with a really great idea and it's worked, but it's taken hours to figure out?

Or you've (like me) done 98% of the card and then left it because you've not had the will to figure out the last 2%?

It happens.

I don't like it though - when it happens - when I've put a lot of effort into something and it's not exactly right. And I don't have the will to figure it out.

Crafting is not always about being exact, but sometimes it is. Trust me, I go for 70% a lot of the time (with my own stuff) because I'm not interested in being perfect.

But sometimes I want perfect.

Sometimes I want exact.

This is one of those times.

Well, it obviously wasn't when I decided it was finished, but it is now!

I'm going to mull this over - maybe the answer will pop into my head at some point. Probably when I'm washing the dishes or something like that.

Popped the chick's beak up on this card.

I never do that, but decided to because I always pop the rabbit's nose up.

Probably could've glossed it too.

Again, a great thought after the card's made and out of the house and out of my reach.

Just wanted to point out there is tracing tool around the edge of the cream.

Maybe that could be number three? Animals, eggs and tracing tool?

Nup, it's not and you know it, Debra.

:o(

Rats.

Just letting you know this is how I made the cards. Cut two ovals and creased the back one and glued the flap to the front one.

There's gotta be a name for this technique...

Ah, yes. Onto a card that's exact. It's perfect. It's kicking it.

I'm not tooting my own horn here, I'm just sayin'.

It's like those contestants on My Kitchen Rules - they know when their dish is kicking it and when it's not. They know when it's exact.

I know too, and this one is. It's a good feeling.

The three things (like I said above) are rabbit, flag and grass.

Things in threes are always good.

There are also three eggs. And three dark pink things. And three edges - loops (grass), pinking (flag) and scallops (frame).

Threes are good, good, good.

I love the white on the cream too. Nice.

Don't you love that scallop oval frame? (Sizzix Bigz die) I knew it'd be a good one to have something peeking out from behind it. The rabbit's not really peeking, he's just there, but still. 

Again, ovals and scallops - so fun this Easter. 

Oh, punch art, I love you! 

And I am serious when I say that people...God, husband, family, friends, dog...and punch art - it's right up there. It just does it for me and it's the way it is. I love it, plain and simple. 

And I do love it plain and simple. I love it when it's done, right on the money and at 100%. 

I do not love it when it's over done, right over the money and at 110%. Not good. 

Like, what's that lime on the plate for? It serves no purpose. Half the battle is knowing when to stop, don't you agree? 

Wait 'til I show you a card I did that's totally over the top. I don't know what came over me that day, but it was bad! 

Okay, enough yakking for today. 

More Easter projects to come - if you can stand it.

:o)

PS. I've just had a thought. Maybe a baker's twine bow at the top might work...