Cards For Tech-Heads!

If you know someone who is into their technology and you need some card ideas for them then you might want to get your hands on the current issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft (issue 156).

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International] 

I've got a whole article brimming with different ideas for cards and a gift, covering different occasions, and all based around technology, you know - mobile phones, gaming, laptops the lot. Being a bit of a tech-head and gamer myself it was fun to come up with some techie-themed makes for this issue.

Also with this issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft is a really pretty embossing folder free gift with matching dies and stamps that I am really looking forward to playing with when I get the chance. Have you seen it yet? Lovely. Every year I keep my eye out for new snowflake stamps and dies as they are so handy to have in the stash.

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International] 

I might use these on the Christmas card commissions I still have left to make. There are also some lovely Christmas stamps that came with some recent issues of Creative Stamping that I might use too. I can't quite believe that we are so near to Christmas! I've been making Christmas commission projects since May so now we are only, what, five or six weeks from the day itself, I can't get my head around that there isn't much time left to finish this year's cards!

Zoinks! I better get on with it. Good luck if you are in the same boat as me!

Catch you later.

Kim


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PUBLISHED: Simply Cards And Papercraft 153 Ken Oliver Color Burst Masterclass

Hey guys, I have a heads-up for you today! This month in Simply Cards and Papercraft, issue 153, I have a masterclass all about the Ken Oliver Color Burst water-soluble powdered pigments.

I know, right?! This is my third blog post about water-soluble powdered pigments this week! What with my new video on PaperArtsy Infusions and my Blitsy tutorial this week being all about the Prima Marketing mica and artisan powders it has gone kind of crazy hasn't it?

I mean I could not have planned it better, how is that for timing! I didn't plan it, honest! It is a coincident, it is work I've been doing on and off for the last few months all coming together in one big powdered pigment explosion this week! [Thinks to self - perhaps I should not have mentioned that and then it will look like I'm some blog post scheduling, organised genius?! Man! Did I just write that out loud? Ahh, no one will notice!]

La La La. Nothing to see here, just go about your normal business...and feast your eyes on these lovely pics:

[I do use affiliate links and there are some in this blog post.]

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International]

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International] 

Beautiful pictures from the Practical Publishing International team as always! In the article I've got some step by steps for a whole range a techniques using Color Burst, which is also perfect timing as the current subscription gift for Simply Cards and Papercraft is a set of your very own Color Burst in the yummy Caribbean colours I've been using. I love brights and jewel colours!

I don't know, if you have been wondering about getting a subscription and/ or wondering about the Ken Oliver Color Burst then it might be the perfect time to do it!

Right, I better go in case any more coincidences or perfectly timed items turn up! Don't want anyone to think my life is in any way coordinated or anything! :)

Have a super creative Saturday.
Kim

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Published: Tim Holtz Distress Crayons Tutorial In Simply Cards And Papercraft 151

Hey guys, I am pretty excited about my share with you today! It is my latest article from the new issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft issue 151.

If you have ever wondered why I struggle to post regularly to my blog, and why sometimes it can be a little quiet around here, you pop on other and you can almost see the tumbleweed running across my blog! Well most of the time it is because I am making things for clients that I just can't share.

But now, thanks to some of my lovely clients, I CAN share some of my article work with you once it has hit the shelves. Which is just great for me because I do get a bit excited about my art and craft and what I do, so I love sharing with you guys as I know you are just like me in that respect!

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International]

I'm kicking this off today with an article I did for Simply Cards and Papercraft issue 151 using the newish Tim Holtz Distress Crayons.

I totally wish I could say that I took that photograph but I didn't and you have hopefully already spotted the photo credit to Practical Publishing International under the photograph?! *Mutters To Self* This is SO going to make my usual blog post photography look a bit pants, I am so going to have to up my game *Ends Muttering*.

If you get Simply Cards and Papercraft Magazine, from Practical Publishing International, then you might have spotted that I am a regular contributor for this magazine, you will also know that it is edited by Amy Gray and you really must go visit her amazing blog!

I've got step by steps for each of the projects in the magazine and some tips and ideas to help inspire your Distress Crayon makes. Plus don't forget my recent YouTube video comparing the Distress Crayons with the Crayola Twistable Slick Stixs too.

I'm looking forward to sharing some more heads-up for article work with you soon.

Oh and before you go, if you have been using the Tim Holtz Distress Crayons (or the Crayola Twistable Slick Stix) how have you been getting on with them? I would love to know!

Catch you later
Kim

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Something Sweet For Monday

Welcome Monday and time to start this week with something crafty, something papercrafty in fact. I've been meaning to post this card on my blog for a couple of weeks now but time has always got away from me. It has been sitting on my desk in pieces waiting to be assembled.

Well finally I got a chance to stick it all together, photograph it and process the photos for my Monday show and tell.

The stamps were actually from the gorgeous free set of Clearly Besotted stamps that came with Issue 133 of Simply Cards and Papercraft. You need to check that issue out if you didn't get those stamps, they are YUM!

I've used some masking and stamping to fill the jar with the yummy sweets and the background was hand printed with MementoLUXE inks, a stencil and the old bubble wrap stamping trick.

Hope you like it and thanks for visiting and seriously, you NEED those stamps! *EnablingAgain*

Catch you later Craftinators!

Kim

Simply Cards And Papercraft Masterclass Gelatine Printing

Hey guys,

Just popping in for a bit of a heads-up. You all know that I LOVE writing for magazines and it keeps me pretty busy, well I have already got some favourite articles coming out this year and here is a heads-up about one of them.

[Photo credit: Practical Publishing International Ltd]

It is a masterclass that I did for Simply Cards and Papercraft about monoprinting with gelatine plates, which as you know is a cheap, DIY alternative to Gelli plates.

Why is this one of my favourites so far this year? Well for a few reasons actually, I just love how the cards turned out (yeah it always surprises me, even though I'm the one making them - are you like that too or is that just me?!), the colours are lush and I love the way that the guys at Practical Publishing make them look gorgeous (I want ALL their photo props and equipment (and skill LOL!)).

But there is an even bigger reason why it is a favourite of mine and that is I get to share with you one of my favourite techniques for getting cheap, easy, fun and unique printed cards using inks.

Now if any of you have tried using inks on a gelatine plate it doesn't always work out that successfully but with this masterclass you can put those niggles behind you. So have fun and I can't wait to see what you do, please do come back to share with me any of your makes using this masterclass I would love to see them!

You will find the full masterclass in issue 134 of Simply Cards and Papercraft and there is a bonus card on their website, which, by the way, has lots of lovely extra makes from loads of other designers, so a good place to check out regularly #hint #hint.

Catch you later geliprintators!

Magazine Monday

It is magazine time and some new mags have hit the shelves! Yay! That's tea breaks this week sorted then.

First up is the Creative Titles, there is a new issue of Creative Stamping (issue 17)...

And Creative Cardmaking (issue 68).

And would you believe it, I made the main cover girl on both! Ooooo! Big smiles from me, lovely way to start my week (thanks Laura!).

Also out in the shops is the new issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft (issue 124)

I'm really looking forward to getting a peak at this one as I've shared a peak into one of my SMASH books. Mmm I really should share some of my SMASH book pages here too.

How about you? Are you a SMASHer? If you do I would love to see it! I love looking at people's journals! Is that nosy of me?

Whilst I'm at the magazine shout outs you might want to also check out the Bumper issue 50 of Complete Cardmaking too!

Well, look, before I leave you to your reading list this week make sure that you add Julie Kirk's blog Notes On Paper to the list, she is revisiting her fab Push-Up Bra Approach to Blogging. If you are having a bit of the blogging lull, and let's face it we all do from time to time, then you NEED to read her blog.

Catch you later Readinators

Kim

Bits And Bobs Friday - Demos, Magazines And A Question

I've been in an all-absorbed frenzy of making this week to meet some deadlines, so much so that I am starting to question my sanity a bit. I've been so work-focussed that on Wednesday I mistook my door bell for the telephone ringing. Erm? Eeek! Yeah, ok so might not be that big a deal, they both ring and everything so I could be excused, except I did it twice! So yesterday I was extra vigilant as I was expecting a delivery but then it never turned up - D'oh!

Please tell me that when you have your creative hat on that you do mad things too? I mean is it just me? Oh boy! I think there is no hope for me.

I might try and take some time off this bank holiday weekend - got a feeling that I might need it! 

Except I can't take Saturday off because I will be in Hobbycraft Woking demoing for Fiskars with the Fuse and I'm excited because I have a new die to try out (it doesn't take much to make me happy!).

I'll be there from 10am to 6pm so do come on by and say 'Hi' if you are in the area. Also there will be a 25% off ALL the Fuse products running whilst I'm in the store - Oooo! So might be worth checking it out and stocking up?

I've got some more demos coming up this month:

Hobbycraft Crawley - 10th May 2014

Hobbycraft Maidstone - 17th May 2014

Hobbycraft Croydon - 31st May 2014

Another thing causing a bit of a stir this week, this time in facebook, is the latest issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft (issue 123). Have you seen it yet?

Oh boy are you in for a treat, there is an Indigoblu stamp set as the cover gift this month which has made a lot of Indigoblu fans very happy!

My offering this month are some silhouette style cards using some of the Cottage Cutz dies available over at CraftsULove.

Thanks for all the wonderful tips and ideas in the comments for yesterday's Journaling post, it is great hearing about where everyone does their art journaling.

Ok, I have another question for you - do any of you use affiliation programs on your blog? I would love to hear your views on them, anything you have to share would be great whether it is positive or negative.

Thanks

Have a fun Friday.

Kim

Some Reading For The Weekend - Simply Cards And Papercraft, Creative Stamping

Friday again and some treats for the weekend. It is magazine heads-up time!

Two reads for the weekend, issue 16 of Creative Stamping is out...

Would you adam and eve it, I made the main card on the cover *squeal* ! I do love it when that happens and I always seem to have to do a weird double-take to convince myself that it is actually one of my cards! What am I like? Anyway, you might want to check out the stamps with this issue, some lovely nature stamps with bees, birds, birdcage and eggs all firm faves with me anyway!

Also out is the newest issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft, issue 122.

This month I'm playing with coloured silhouette stamping using some lovely stamps from Joy! Crafts which you can find over at Crafts U Love. 

The cover gift this month is three lovely Spring-themed embossing folders and I actually got a chance to use these with the Core'dinations card cover gift that you can get with Papercraft Essentials 105 so check out that magazine as well for some more inspiration.

There you go, this week's reading list! I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to a cuppa, feet up and some magazines to flick through. Although I'm not sure I really deserve such a treat as this week seems to have vanished and I haven't accomplished much *sigh* .

Hope that your week has been more productive than mine and enjoy your weekend!

Catch you later craftinators.

Kim

Some Weekend Reading - Digital Crafting Essentials, Simply Cards & Papercraft, Creative Cardmaking and Papercraft Essentials

Ok, so I confess, I've dropped a bit behind with my magazine shout outs, so some of these mags have been out for a few weeks now so you might need to move fast if you haven't got them already and you want them.

The first shout out is for Simply Cards and Papercraft 121 which has been out since the beginning of March, I know, my bad!

I was super excited when I realised that the purple card on the front was actually mine LOL! I can be a bit slow sometimes and I thought 'that looks familiar!' Oh bless. I've been making patterns with the lovely Waltzingmouse stamps.

Then there is Digital Crafting Essentials vol 2

I've been making some digital papers and stamps again and you will find them on the free CDs with the magazine. Hope you like them.

Next up it is Creative Cardmaking 65

and some cute Easter makes using paper and die cuts to make cute bunnies and chicks.

Last but not least there is the new issue of Papercraft Essentials, issue 105, and this one came out only last week so I'm back up-to-date - phew!

You get some lovely Core'dinations card with this one so have fun with it!

Ok, so lots of weekend reading, yay for the weekend!

Have a fun Friday.

Kim

New Issue of Simple Cards And Papercraft

It is time for the new issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft, say hello to issue 120...

There is a yum looking Prima marketing kit cover gift with this one... Ooooo! I've not seen the magazine yet so can't tell you much about it, but I do know about one article and that is mine which is all about memory keeping and easy pocket photo journal keeping. 

I can't wait to see this one as I had great fun putting the article together and I got to put some of  my pocket scrapbook pages together that I've been meaning to do for a while but hadn't done yet. Nothing like a deadline to get you moving on something!

Hope you enjoy the magazine and have a good Saturday.

Kim

Magazine Time!

It is magazine time and here is what I will be reading this weekend...

Well first is some catch-up reading with issue 119 of Simply Cards and Papercraft which came out in the first week of January. I know! I am so behind!

Did you spot that this issue comes with a score board this month? Oooo, will have to give that a try! There are some chevron makes from me this month and you all know that it is one of my favourite shapes.

More reading with me tea this weekend and that is issue 103 of Papercraft Essentials.

This month Lee Campbell, editor of Papercraft Essentials, let me go a bit wild with corrugated cardstock! You know I love recycling corrugated card from packaging, I mean just look at my blog banner. But for this article I thought I would go less distressed and more bold and bright and bought in a pack of different coloured corrugated cardstock for a different look. Of course some packaging did sneak in as well!

So I think that brings me all up-to-date with my magazine reading! Hope you enjoy them too. But before I treat myself to my feet-up, tea and read I must get some DT projects photographed and blogged.

Catch you later!

Kim

Reading For The Weekend

Hey, hey, hey, would you Adam and Eve it? It's the weekend! Well that kind of snuck up on us again, or did it just snuck up on me? I'm trying to beat the clock and the last post times to get some commissions finished before breaking up for Christmas, so please forgive me for being a little quiet on the old t'internet. But I've got some fun projects lined up so watch this space!

In the meantime I'm just dropping in with some weekend reading from Practical Publishing that you might want to checkout inbetween decorating Christmas trees, wrapping presents or whatever fun you have planned for this weekend.

Simply Cards and Papercrafts 118 was out in the shops yesterday.

Checkout the cute free digital Monster stamps from Kate Hadfield. My offering this month is a Sizzix eclips review with some cards and you can spot one of them on the bottom left hand of the cover.

Next up is Issue 14 of Creative Stamping which hit the shops last week (sorry, playing a bit of catch-up!)

Checkout the fabulous vintage feel cover stamps this month and I got to make some favours boxes with them.

There are lots of wonderful makes from lots of super talented folks in both magazine as always. I just love reading through my copies and seeing what folks are up too so hope you enjoy them too.

Mmm they might go well with some mince pies. I'm actually thinking of making my own mince pies this year. My Mum makes the best mince pies in the world, so not sure I can ever top that, but hopefully they will be better than some of the shop bought ones I've had in the past. Wish me luck!

Catch you later Craftinators

Kim

Check This Out - Going All Space Age

Yesterday saw the new issue of Simply Cards and Papercraft, 117, hitting the shop shelves and I have to tell you, when I got my copy it put a HUGE smile on my face!

Love it to bits! Check out the photos of my Galaxy-themed makes, Tym Leckey and the Simply Cards & Papercraft team have dressed them brilliantly! I'm sure they will make you smile too! Tee hee!

Ok, well I am a BIG science nerd so this was right up my space avenue! Sooo want one of those astronauts!

I've got two cards in the Cardmaker's challenge too, just love what all the guys have done with the New Year theme, all so different and inspiring. I went for a sort of hot and fiery sunshine look with the sunrays from the Paperbabe High in the Sky Stamp set.

There is an amazing Kaisercraft cover gift too with a stamp, papers and luggage tags, and lots of beautiful inspiration from everyone, so really - you NEED to get this mag!

Before you rush out to your newsagents you might want to check out the Creative Expressions Facebook page, they have their regular Friday before 5pm giveaway. Go sign up!

(I'm being so bossy today aren't I?!)

Ok, I'm out of here, still have lots of work on my Cox & Kings Competition piece - Gulp!

Have a fun Friday.

Kim

New Issue Of Simply Cards And Papercraft

It's new magazine time! Keep your eye out for the latest Simply Cards and Papercraft, issue 116,

There is a lovely Chrimbo Spellbinders Heirloom Stamp Set and embossing folder as the cover gift this month as well as some digi-stamp downloads to checkout. Also you will spot some gorgeous makes from the DT, those folks sure do work hard coming up with fab projects all the time. 

My humble offering this month is some Glittery ideas with some different types of glitter and you can spot all the different types I've used over at Creative Expressions.

Catch you later.

Kim