Giveways at Creating from the Heart

There's still some time, two or three days yet before Melissa's son picks some lucky winners for her super fabulous giveways.

They include:

• Zutter ~ Dreamkutz Page Cutter Tool
• Kaiser Craft Chipboard Family Tree
• Kaiser Craft Cupcake Album
• Kaiser Craft Mini Album Bookshelf
• 8x8 October Afternoon Cherry Hill paper pack.

Be sure to check in at Creating from the Heart real soon to be in it, to win it!!

My, I can only imagine what the Dreamkutz could do for me; what a prize!

Papercutting Frenzy

Recently Cindy Ferguson shared a template on her Scherenschnitte blog for her charming Mushroom Bunny design. This is my version, backed with Basic Grey scrapbooking paper.

The toads/mushroom concept took me back to my own drawing board where I've tried many times to try and create a design of my own. I've long had the mushrooms and clothesline idea in my head .. I'm sure it comes from way back in my childhood with my love of Enid Blyton books, The Enchanted Wood, Folk of the Faraway Tree and more.

So now I've scanned the cut I finished this afternoon, twice over. (Doorknobs compliments of my graphics programme until I get to 'fix' the cutting onto a permanent backing)

I was hoping for some feedback; should I finish off with a traditional white background?

...or, break away and fix it to this Basic Grey background?

I rather liked the look on this paper; it seems to offer an illusion of a warm sky, late in the afternoon perhaps.

Let me know which you prefer won't you ... and even some ideas would be welcome for a title to my very first design.

Thanks a bunch, I really enjoy your comments.

Tulips & Lavenders

I was the lucky recipient of a surprise gift when a friend visited yesterday with this beautiful potted tulip. I should've taken a photo with the wrapping and paper ribbon beforehand; it almost seemed a shame to unwrap.

This morning I placed the pot on a ledge for some early sunshine, and before long the tight buds had opened up to create this fabulous floral extravaganza to share with you.





In the background is a lavender, and since they're flowering at this time of year during our late Winter, I decided to photo-hop and take pics. of two similar, but slightly different dwarf lavenders in our garden.

Who doesn't love nature and it's abundance, and how special it is to be able to just go take a photo anytime with the wonders of digital photography .. and the internet, and share here on my blog.

Paper Cuttings: My Silhouette and more ...

Silhouette artist S. John Ross made this cutting of myself at age ten, when I got to visit my first ever Royal Easter Show in Sydney. I only just thought about this silhouette buried amongst lots of old photographs.

A web search for this silhouette artist and I was able to locate this link to his background.

It really is quite amazing I think, that during this year, I've "found" paper-cutting to be such a fascinating and rewarding craft myself ... more than fifty years after S. John Ross cut this portrait.

At Klezmershack I found an interesting papercut by Evelyn Maizels. It had been created for a narrative drawing class in the continuing studies program at the Art Institute in Chicago, under the direction of Susan Gofstein, and was published within the Klezkanada newsletter in 2005.

Since I'm always on the look out for new and innovative patterns I sent an email, and Evelyn kindly allowed me permission to work with her design (for personal use only), and to also display my version here.

This cutting measures just 9.5 cm x 7 cm (3.75" x 2.75").

Note: Please respect copyright belongs to Evelyn Maizels and that no commercial use may be made of this image.

Yet another take on one of my favourite patterns by Cynthia Lyle and Pam Neely from Backstreet Designs. The sentiment was stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with Old Gold.

I've decided to discontinue using aerosol glue for adhering my papercuts to cardstock. Now I'll only use a non-toxic, acid-free glue-stick. It means simply smearing a little glue with my finger on random parts of my papercut, just enough to secure. Not only is the glue-stick user-friendly, but there is an added bonus in the element of the papercut seemingly left 'floating' on the background, which I also find aesthetically pleasing.

Nasturtiums - a little olde' world charm

It's photo day since creativity is on hold, but there's always time to take some pics, or pull some favourites from my folders to share with you.

I know nasturtiums have been around forever, but I still love them, and love to have them romping around in some of the sunniest spots of our garden. At this time of year for us, while it is still Winter, I have a bounty of vibrantly colourful nasturtium flowers; the bees love them too!

This buddha statue was purchased from a nursery gift store some time ago now. To me, it seems to evoke a sense of tranquility and I enjoy offering new seasonal flowers to add to its charm. Buddha sits on a narrow recycled jarrah timber table Des had made; it's in our entrance hallway, right near the front door. This is how it is this morning as I took this photo.

Helium article I've written on growing nasturtiums in your garden too, is here.

Papercutting: Horses and Cart

I'd decided this Dover image would make for a charming olde-world card top. It measures just 13 x 8 cm (5 x 3.25 inches). By the time I was finished cutting though, my thoughts went to a back-drop ; maybe something like....
This late 1800's photograph (photo-copied) from early Australian days seemed perfect! The occupants of the old house are standing outside the fence too, but are unfortunately obsured by the papercut.
But then this wonderful paper-tole image crafted by my friend, also looks right, don't you think? It's of "The Garrison Church and Argyle Cut, Sydney" and the original sketch is by Cedric Emanuel.

Because of the 3-D nature of the paper-tole, I'd photographed it first, and then printed and secured to cardstock before adding the silhouette papercut.

Fairy Wrens

We all have heard the ancient saying .. “a picture paints a thousand words”. Well I thought since I love sharing photos with my email friends, that I would also start adding some of my favourites here on my blog.

Those of you who are subscribing to my blog will get to know a little more of me through the pictures I’m “painting”. Things that make me want to go take a picture and share and, since I’m a nature-lover, often it is very likely to be something found in our garden throughout the various seasons.

So, intermingled with some creative posts (when time permits) .. will be a little of the photographer in me, or very occasionally, like today, sometimes taken by Des too.

Des took the photo very quickly just this morning, when he saw this male Superb blue Fairy Wren darting about on a crepe-myrtle shrub in our back garden. Their vibrant blue colour is accentuated ready for the Spring ahead.

We just love these wrens. The next photo is one from last year, and since the females retain this buff colouring, this could be either a juvenile male or female Fairy Wren.

I hope you've enjoyed a little from our garden and I welcome and enjoy reading your comments anytime.

Papercutting: Harry Potter Owl

Cindy Ferguson has a wonderful Scherenschnitte website so do be sure to visit if you're looking for new paper-cutting ideas.

In a recent Template Tuesday, Cindy had offered the pattern for this magical Harry Potter themed design; thanks Cindy!

I couldn't resist adding a little computer graphics, creative lighting, for my next image to share.

Papercutting: Fraktur Design

This pattern is another from Stewart and Sally Walton’s Papercutting book.

According to Wikpedia, Fraktur is both a style of lettering and a highly artistic and elaborate illuminated folk art created by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Also, most Fraktur were created between 1740 and 1860.

I'm not sure what kind of birds they might be; do you think perhaps ravens?