Christmas in June (and July)

I've been holding a regular Christmas Card Club each month here in my Art by Jenny Studio. Its meant to be encouraging myself and anyone who joins me to be organised (for once!) for this special time of year! So far its working. Both myself and my students have made quite a few cards already and its only June! 

The most recent class was reindeer training... as it sounds - gathering reindeer together (with a reindeer punch and cardstock) then after the bases were created, sticking them down. 

Then my reindeer punch rebelled and refuse to give us any more cute cardstock animals :P

Well, I'm not one for giving up so we got out the stamps and had a play!!! I'm grateful that all my students went home happy again with their creations - even though they didn't make quite what was planned :)

This next card is what I've made today after trying to fix my punch (which I've put aside for a bit... its a tad stuck now!!!). I love this stamp set... you get the sleigh, sparkles and the hohoho. So versatile! Coloured with watercolour markers and the holly stamp is coloured with the alcohol ink art markers. I just love to colour in :)

The next Christmas Card Club will be on two dates, Sat June 29 or Sat July 6, and we'll be doing a bit of colouring/blending and flower arranging with poinsettias... they're such beautiful plants! 

July's class, Sat July 27, we'll be messing about in the snow (using a snowflake punch, not actually playing in the snow, although if it gets any colder we might be! lol). I'm giving away a FREE punch for each of the students in this class (Sat July 27)... only 6 per class so book without delay :)

That's it for today... while I have the Christmas bug I'm off to make ATCs - this month's Kaszazz theme is "Christmas in July" ... then I'm off to build birdhouses for the local ATC swap with friends ... Can't wait to see what everyone creates!!!

Keep on being creative everyone!

Happy Scrappy Day :D

Markers Markers Markers...

Have I told you lately how much I LOVE textas and markers? All if them ... the kiddie ones, thick poster type ones, ones that colour those magical invisible puzzle books, popular markers used to colour Magnolia stamps... and bestest ever of all the markers I've ever used are the Ranger and Tim Holtz Distress watercolour markers and the Kaszazz Alcohol Ink Art markers :)

Both are ever so versatile and complement each other... and go fabulously with the rest of the Distress ink range.

The Distress Markers are easy to use... and makes your artwork look like a professional watercolour artist's work :)

The Kaszazz AIAM are amazing - they will colour and draw on practically anything including metals, glass and pebbles. Finding the right colour bling or embellishment is not a problem anymore!

Both colour, blend and draw beautifully! If you don't have these or have access to use them, I highly recommend you find a way. Join a marker layby club, gather some friends for a "marker party" (lol) or ask about my payment plans!

Below... the teddy card is coloured with Kaszazz Alcohol Ink Art Markers; the frog ATC is 'painted' with the Distress Markers.

Butterflies and Seahorses

As you may know, Kaszazz has a gorgeous new product - Alcohol Ink Art Markers. I have been having a lovely time drawing, colouring, blending and rendering with these gorgeous markers. Unlike the most awesome watercolour markers, Distress Ink Markers by Tim Holtz, these new markers are solvent based and will work on anything including metals, rhinestones, glass and buttons.

Being the based on the colours of the Kaszazz cardstock essentials means we now have 71 colours at our fingertips to colour co-ordinate embellishments to the projects! Plus all the extra colours you could create by blending. And yes, they blend beautifully with those other brands :)

The best ink pads to use with these markers are the Distress Inks or Memento as both waterbased inks.
Below is the Kaszazz seahorse stamp coloured with the Alcohol Ink Art Markers. The background was created with the waves and flourish stamps using Distress Inks.

The other two cards in this photo are my samples (one front and one of the back) from the latest Kaszazz Mega Demo on 6th April. Everyone had a wonderful time blending, stamping and punching to create beautiful butterfly greeting cards.

A Mega Demo is a FREE Kaszazz event where a team of consultants work together to create a big "Make 'n' Take" demonstration.

Just like a craft party you could host at home (also for FREE) except you would be in a hall with a group of friends and other likeminded people at a table hosted by your consultant. Each consultant would have 1 or 2 tables to look after. Everyone makes the same project, enters raffles, enjoys afternoon tea or supper, and receives a $50 Kaszazz voucher (spend $50, choose another $50 FREE).

Mega Demos are always fun - making cards and chatting about craft (amongst other things!)... and they're FREE with no obligation to buy anything.

Look out for a Mega Demo near you :)

Happy Scrappy Day!

Dragons and Easter Bilbies

Its my Dad's birthday today and his shed has finally been built. We've decided to call it his Toy Box as its a bit smaller than expected!!! 6 metres isn't very big anymore :P
Its great though, green walls with a little rollerdoor and yellow framed sliding window. Nice height too, I can't even reach the top of the door... nothing to do with me only being 5ft tall :) lol

Well, the pics of the shed are on the camera but I've got a photo of the miniature shed Mum created to decorate Dad's cake. Too cool for words :)

The other pic is of the birthday card I made for Dad... using a dragon stamp, distress inks, Kaszazz alcohol ink markers and pewter distress stain. He loves it!

The Easter Bilby helps the Easter Bunny here in Australia... so on Sunday if we've all been good, our kitchen table will have chocolate bilbies hopping about.

My family draws on, colours and paints boiled eggs then eats them with strips (soldiers) of toast every Easter Sunday morning. Always a fun day :)

I hope whatever you for Easter this year, you are happy and spending time with people you love. Happy Easter!!!

Hand painted with markers and Distress inks - stamps by Kaszazz.

My Dad's birthday cake with his new miniature shed.

Just like the real thing, this shed has green walls and a little yellow rollerdoor!

Hopping About with Kaszazz

I joined Kaszazz (specialists in selling scrapbooking supplies from home) as a consultant a few days ago. They're a wonderful, friendly, helpful and creative bunch, just like my friend Robyn (who introduced me to this cool company). I was eyeing off this gorgeous scrapbook shop that is for sale but there was no way I could buy it, let alone leave my awesomely incredible job with Country Bumpkin.
For now, I won't be advertising too much that I'm a consultant, but if you do need anything, just let me know! There is an online catalogue at the Kaszazz website plus I have them for sale for AU$9.95 each if you'd prefer to flip real pages.

I attended their Team Training Day on Sunday... I was lucky enough to be included even though I wasn't a Kaszazz member then - I had a totally brilliant day! A quick meeting then right into having a wonderful creative day. Just how meetings should be run!

For the day we could enter a scrappy competition which needed to include their large diecut alphabet and be made only from all things Kaszazz (and any regular household products).

I grabbed this opportunity with both hands and hopped straight for my frog stamps, green and blue paper/card, Smooch paint and spritz, Tim Holtz distress inks and the groovylishus Tim Holtz distress markers (my current fave water-soluble textas). A few hours of stamping, painting, inking, cutting, distressing, spritzing and more painting (mmmm, Smooch!!) and sticking together, created a marvellous 'page' - A 12"x12" (30.5cm x 30.5cm) artwork which I'll frame and hang in the kitchen. I also used a couple of flower embossing dies and punches to create the lilies (attached with tiny brads) and petite daisies (glued with Glossy Accents) floating around the page. Some of the frogs have scrap cardstock layered underneath to life them off the page.

Here are a few pics... I hope you like it!!! I certainly do :D
(All products used are available from Kaszazz. If you'd like more information, let me know or visit their website.)

My finished masterpiece!

Firstly, using Distress Inks, ink the edges of the green backing paper. The blue backing paper has been sanded, ripped, inked and splashed. The lettering was inked in yellow and green Distress Stains then the edges inked in pink and when dry frosted with Smooch Spritz. 

The green backing paper (left) has a big square hole in the centre where I've cut out the lily pads (right).  The frogs that I've cut out after painting were stamped onto a pale yellow paper (because it had a great textured background). These were all stamped with the gorgeous Kaszazz frog stamps with Stayz-On ink.

Pictured left is one of the friendly frogs patiently waiting to dry while I finish his friends. You can see the texture of the pretty green backing paper here. Pictured right is the frogs drying after having the lily pad edges inked in green and pink. 

Finished lilies floating on the page... all flowers are cut from the pale pink paper (using both sides) and have yellow Smooch centres plus a dab of Glossy. 

The hippy frog on the stump welcomes you to check out my favourite shoes... yes, I really do have these shoes and I wear them all the time. I just love them!!!

The word "Frogs" has spotty Glossy highlights added after it was completely dry while the word "Rock" is 'raw' paper - no ink or markers, just diecut and glued down.

You can see how the frog is lifted off the page here... by using a little bit of card, folded with glue between the layers.

If you'd like the names and codes of the products I've used, let me know. I used quite a few and this post is long enough!

Thanks for reading my blog. I hope you have a wonderful day!

:D

Jenny