Ribbons & Buttons

Last week I recieved an order of the most beautiful and bright ribbons.  I couldn't resist purchasing these neon colours since everywhere you turn these are the colours of spring fashion.  So gorgeous take a look at the new Vandoros Picot Neon Ribbons.  This is where vintage blends with 2012 love it!!!

 

Here they are all photographed together, but can be purchased individually on site.

Some other cute ribbons that also arrived are these - Vandoros Alice Grosgrain Ribbon in Gelati colours.  The texture of these ribbons is similar to the Herringbone also available on site.

Just to add some bright new buttons oh so divine Calypso by Memory Mates, these are textured as shown and a must have for your craft stash.

All these bright colours have me excited for Spring and Summer.  Our New Arrivals dept is the go to these and more of our newest products.

I feel like this blog gets a little neglected nowadays.  I am very much distracted with facebook and instagram and loving those forms of social media for their quick and easy way to communicate with you all.  To keep up to date follow me in both those places, you will find links in the side bar.

Time to run as there are still a few orders to pack and send before the day is out.

hugs everyone

Let's Celebrate - It's a party Card Kit

It's time for some sunshine, fun and parties.  Are you over this bleak Winter.  It feels like it has gone on forever, esp if you're a Melbourne Girl like me.

Our newest kit is sure to fire up some feelings of sunny days ahead. Packed with bright coloured embellishments and papers, this jumbo sized kit will end the last minute dash to make or find a card when you really need one.  The cards in this kit are simple and quick and plenty of fun.  Perfectly fine for beginners to try.

take a look...

Let's Celebrate - It's Party Time

 

View and purchase the kit here

Mixed Media Paper Embellishments Tutorial

Earlier this week I created some cute paper cakes and piles of gifts in a mixed media collage style, using patterned papers and inks etc.  I posted them on my facebook page and requested whether there was any interest to see a tutorial on how to make them.  As there was a bit of interest I thought the easiest way to show you is a video tutorial.

Take a look you will love these they are so fun and easy to make and best of all you get to use up all those precious scraps that keep piling up.

Mixed Media Collage Paper Embellishments

As mentioned in the video there are links for some of the items I referred to in the video.

Echo Park Everyday Eclectic 6x6 Paper Pad

Kaisercraft - Texture Clear Stamp Script - CS752

Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps WEATHERED TEXTILES Stampers Anonymous

Tim Holtz - Ranger Distress Ink Marker - Black Soot

Helmar Decoupage and Craft Paste 250ml



If you enjoyed watching take a look at my youtube page for more video tutorials.

 

Forever Friends Handmade Gift Card Step by Step

Hello Everyone,

Today I am sharing a card tutorial step by step with you.  I make so many cards but often don't have time or don't remember to take photos of the step by step process.  So this time I have.  For many card makers it might be self explanatory but I will just briefly highlight the steps as I do in my card kits.  As a sidenote there are heaps of photos in this step by step..

enjoy!!

Forever Friends Handmade Gift Card Step by Step

Supplies

Patterned papers, rub ons, Martha Stewart Butterfly punch, ribbon and twine

Step 1.

Cut yourself a card base of white cardstock, fold in half.  My card is a C6 size

Then cut patterned paper of choice and mount onto the card front.  My patterned paper measures 9.5 x 13.5cm

Also cut another patterned paper like the musical paper  below from Kaisercraft, this one measures 7.5cm x 8.5cm.  Ink around the papers with Tim Holtz distress ink and a sponge dauber.

Step 2.

Cut a length of  pink polkadot ribbon to wrap around your smaller patterned paper.  Pop double sided tape on the back and loop around from the back, across the front and then back around.

Cut a long length of twine and wrap several times around and the make a bow on the side of the paper.  You will need to leave some length at the start to be able to tie up your bow.

Step 3.

Select some rub ons, I used the kaisercraft hummingbird rub ons.

Cut the portion you want to use and then tranfer.  See close up above.  Once this is done mount this patterned paper to the card front.  I added mine to the side on the right, see first photo for placement.

Step 4.

I then used the same rub ons for the title of this card.  I transfered a portion of the rub ons and the forever friends onto white cardstock.  I then cut a frame of pink cardstock around that and then add sentiment as shown.

Step 5.

Punch out two butterflies with the Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch.  Mount them one on top of the other.  I used Bazzill Bling Snow White paper to give the butterflies some shiny sheen.

That's all there is to it, done!!

Hope you enjoyed this step by step, feel free to share it with your friends or leave me a comment, I love comments and I do read them all.

Most products and supplies can be found on site at kokovanilladesigns.

If you prefer to see how I make cards via video head over to my youtube channel to watch videos and subscribe. 

She Art Canvas - Mixed Media Canvas...

Happy Monday everyone,

Time to get back to some crafty posts.  I wanted to share my latest canvas creation with you all. 

She believed in love

This canvas is inspired by Christy Tomlinson's She Art collection.  The Paper Doll bits and pieces used in this canvas are available here.

I used papers and paints and inks, stamps and templates as well as texture paste to decorate the background.

The letters used are available on site.  Some may differ but will work well also.

Loved creating this..

Dreams Really Do Come True!!!!

Well Hello Everyone,

It has been a while and boy do I have a tale to tell.

Where do I start????  Okay here goes....

My eldest daughter is totally smiten with Justin Bieber, okay maybe a little more like totally obsessed as are thousands of other teens her age.

So Justin was gracing our shores this past weekend and my daughter has been in a frenzy for the last couple of months trying to work out how to get to see him or win tickets to one of his live events.

Fast forward to Friday of last week when she realised that she hadn't won any tickets to anything or any live gigs she was heartbroken and in tears.

Her and a friend also totally obsessed with Justin, decided to make a scrapbook of his life (okay I will take credit for the influence on this one, although it was not my idea and in fact I thought it was a complete waste of time, because lets get real he's never gonna get it...Right????)  I didn't tell them this I just thought okay just go for it at least they're having fun being creative...

They spent 10 hours over Saturday making this scrapbook, infact at 1.30am on Saturday Night/Sunday Very Early Morning I had to tell them to wind it up and go to bed, nothing like leaving things to the last minute.

Here is a picture of them working and in their matching jumpers of course.

One last piece to the puzzle is that they had been given a hint as to where he may have been staying.

The next day they set off at 9am to find the biebs... and find him they did.  Not only did they find him but they also handed a crew member the album they made and later when they saw Justin they asked if he had recieved their album and he answered to Danielle, that yes he had and it was beautiful in his amazing American accent, according to her.

To top it off my daughter and her friend were on all 3 news channels on Sunday Night.  My daughter even made the screen headline photo on Channel 9, that is her in the front looking at her idol, so funny.....

So what does this have to do with scrapbooking, not much aside from the fact that I will probably scrapbook this photo and the memories that go with it.  Also that they made an album which he may have seen, that we will never know.

However what this post is really about is........drumroll please........if you really want something bad enough, and you believe it, you feel it and you act on it, you will achieve it....... You guys know I am all about positive thinking and really being in charge of your lives, I received a lesson from my own 14 year old daughter this week to reaffirm and as a strong reminder that anything is possible.  If you are in alignment the universe will indeed conspire in your favour....

Follow Your Dreams People!!!

The Next Generation of Scrapbookers....

A couple of times in the holidays I have had my eldest daughters friends over to make a scrapbook for one of their other friends who is celebrating a birthday soon.

I was thrilled and excited when they rang to ask about how to go about making a scrapbook as part of their birthday gift. 

Of course I invited them over and the rest is history  As you can see here they are having fun creating and I have to say it comes natural to them as well and I hope they continue to make their own albums or even to make a art life journal for themselves once this completed.

The best part is they are off their phones, interacting, creating and achieving (for a little while anyway).  Maybe those millions of photos will have a creative use after all.

Well done girls you are doing a great job and the album looks amazing and I am so proud of you for giving it a go!!!!! xox