Kaisercraft Design Team Finalist Entry 2015-2016

I am very honoured to have been selected as a Finalist in the 2015-2016 Kaisercraft Design Team!! Yay!!  It has certainly made my year!! I can only hope that I get through to the next round!! 

Fingers crossed xxxx

Steph at Kaisercraft posted me out a package that included two brand-new, yet to be released, Kaisercraft ranges.  I received all the 12x12 papers in a Christmas paper range called: "Silver Bells". and in a Masculine/Father's Day range of papers called:  "Time Machine" collection.  To say I was excited was a bit of an understatement! I was oohing and aahing over these papers and my mind was racing with what the crafting possibilities could be!

The assignment was to create a minimum of one layout and one card in each of the different paper ranges showcasing your personal style. Then with leftover paper we were given the freedom to create anything we like.  My aim was to complete one 12x12 Traditional Layout, one Photo Pocket Layout and as many cards as I could with what was supplied.  There was so much I could make out of the amount of papers supplied, I just kept making and making and making!!!  In the end I had to stop because I thought you would never get through all of the creations!

You might like to think about getting a cup of tea or coffee before you start reading this post. Warning - It is very picture heavy!

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1926 Good Tidings, P1928 Believe, P1932 Joy

These two simple Christmas cards were easy to put together.  I am leaning towards the more simpler styles these days because I think they are so elegant.

I love this white and grey wood-grain paper.  It actually reminds me of my the cupboards in my uncle's "vintage" caravan.  They were something like this paper.  I love the grey with white polka-dots too.  These little sentiments are perfect as centrepieces for a simple card.  I added some stitching between the two papers and a silver star to embellish.  I rounded two corners for a bit of interest.  Simple and sweet.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1926 Good Tidings, P1929 Wonderland, P1932 Joy

I like the traditional feel of this card.  The music notes are so cute and I love the little snow-covered chapel.  Its nice to work with silver for a change, as gold has been a trend for quite awhile now.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1932 Joy, P1931 Frosty

I used the card panels to make this Christmas card simply by cutting them out and layering them with mounting tape.  The card panels sure do make card-making a breeze!  I added some ribbon and lace and then fussy cut some roses from the Frosty paper.  I really love how untraditional these Christmas papers are.  You could easily exchange the sentiment for a "Happy Birthday" and use these papers all year through!

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1932 Joy, P1931 Frosty

For the next card I played around with a modern design of some simple strips of paper woven across the front of the base card.  Then I stamped a Kaisercraft Mini Clear Stamp onto some of that lovely white woodgrain paper and popped it up with mounting tape.  

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1928 Believe, P1927 Baubles, P1930 Carol,
 CS938 A Very Merry Christmas

I coloured the tiny stars on the image in with a Copic marker and outlined the strips with a black felt tip pen.  Lastly I embellished with some silver sequins and a silver star.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1928 Believe, P1927 Baubles, P1930 Carol, 
 CS938 A Very Merry Christmas

These gorgeous blue baubles were begging to be fussy cut!

I had to make another card (this is my last Christmas one I promise!).

Supplies: Kaisercaft Silver Bells P1929 Wonderland, P1930 Carol, P1932 Joy, BRB605 Organza Neutrals

I layered these papers onto white card and added a fancy tape down the left-hand side.

Then I used mounting tape to adhere the baubles and the sentiment which was cut straight from the 12x12 paper - how convenient!!  I added some silver paper to "hang" the baubles with and tied some Kaisercraft Organza ribbon into a bow on the larger bauble.  This card was easy and fast to make.

Supplies: Kaisercaft Silver Bells P1929 Wonderland, P1930 Carol, P1932 Joy, BRB605 Organza Neutrals

 I also up-cycled a little gift bag very simply by die-cutting some labels, changing the handles to ribbon, adding a sentiment and adhering some pretty tape.

I was very excited to make a Christmas Layout with these gorgeous papers.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1928 Believe, P1927 Baubles, P1930 Carol,
P1931 Frosty P1929 Wonderland, P1934 Merry Christmas, 
 CS939 Holly, SS261 Hello Today

I found this cute little photo from Nicky's first Christmas which I thought suited these papers so well.  I had so much fun using strips of paper to build this Layout.  Aren't the pastel blues and pinks so pretty with the silver.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1928 Believe, P1927 Baubles, P1930 Carol,
P1931 Frosty P1929 Wonderland, P1934 Merry Christmas, 
 CS939 Holly, SS261 Hello Today

I used a Mini Clear Stamp - "Holly" to create some little Holly to match the colours in the Layout.  I added some Kaisercraft Hello Today Sticker Sheet Quotes and a "happy" die cut with Alphabet stickers.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells Collection P1928 Believe, P1927 Baubles, P1930 Carol,
P1931 Frosty P1929 Wonderland, P1934 Merry Christmas, 
 CS939 Holly, SS261 Hello Today

I found these matching photos of Nicky's first Christmas and added them into a Photo Pocket page.  These were taken by Ben and I trying to do our own Christmas Photo Shoot to get a photo for our Christmas card.  We didn't end up using any of these photos for the card, but I still love them.  Nicky had just learnt to clap his hands at this point.  I actually love these photos even more now because it seems so long ago when he was this small.  Its amazing how fast these little cherubs grow up.  Its hard to believe how much he has changed in three years.  Makes me pretty emotional to be honest.

I remember thinking at the time of these photos that I couldn't care less what I get for Christmas this year as I have been given the best Christmas present in the world - this gorgeous little baby and I still feel exactly the same way.  Nicky makes our lives so meaningful.  We are forever grateful for him : )

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells P1933 Goodwishes, P1934 Merry Christmas, P1929 Wonderland, P1928 Believe,
CS116 Santa's List, CS117 Gingerbread

I used Kaisercraft "Gingerbread" stamps to stamp out the baubles and gingerbread man.  The "Dear Santa" sentiment came from Kaisercraft "Santa's List" stamps.  I added some silver snowflakes on top of the plastic pocket pages.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Silver Bells P1933 Goodwishes, P1934 Merry Christmas, P1929 Wonderland, P1928 Believe,
CS116 Santa's List, CS117 Gingerbread

That wraps up my Christmas projects! What a versatile range of papers! I found I could create so many different styles of cards and layouts with this Silver Bells Collection.  It really was a delight to work with.  I still have papers left over from this range...I could have kept making and making and making!

Now a little change of pace, I am going to share with you the creations I have made with the second range of papers - Kaisercraft Time Machine Collection.  This is a very masculine collection.  Perfect for Father's Day and those tricky male cards.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1923 Hourglass, P1917 Clocks, P1918 Steam Engine

This first card would be great as a Father's Day Card, but it could also be a birthday card, or an anytime card to spoil your Dad.  I used the card panels from the 12x12 paper to layer onto the base card.  These panels certainly take all the hard work out of trying to design your card.  It is such a nice large size, there really isn't much else to do.  I cut out the circles adhered them with mounting tape and layered them onto a simple three strip background.  Then I added some triangular studs for a bit of dimension.  If you need a Father's Day card in a hurry this year, this is the paper to buy! No thinking required and a tricky male card is done in no time!

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1923 Hourglass, P1917 Clocks, P1918 Steam Engine

This second card is a masculine "Happy Birthday" card.  Perfect for Dads, Uncles, Granddads etc.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1921 Iron Clad, P1919 Mechanism, P1923 Hour Glass
CS205 Shine Bright, CT824 Antique Bazaar, FL399 Cogs

Again, I utilised the card panels for this card.  The "Not older just better" quote was layered onto its background with mounting tape.  Then I layered that over a wooden flourish cog and a clock collectable from Antique Bazaar Kaisercraft collectables.  The ""Happy Birthday" sentiment was cut straight from the 12x12 paper and adhered to the base of the card.  I made a little three strip banner to separate the two papers on the base of the card.  Then I stamped some Kaisercraft "Shine Bright" stamps to the corner to add a little interest.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1921 Iron Clad, P1919 Mechanism, P1923 Hour Glass
CS205 Shine Bright, CT824 Antique Bazaar, FL399 Cogs

My third and final card for this collection uses a 3x4 Pocket card as the main sentiment.  Which is the same quote as the one in my first card.  I used a lot of layering on this card to build it up with banners and stickers and cogs.  I loved having some masculine embellishments to play with.  Masculine embellishments can be quite tricky to find sometimes.  Kaisercraft has the solution!

 Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1921 Iron Clad, P1924 Gadget, P1922 Coggler, P1918 Steam Engine

CS205 Shine Bright, CT824 Antique Bazaar, FL399 Cogs SS272 Shine Bright

I really like the little collectable (on the left-hand side of the sentiment) that looks like the latch of a door with a lock, or is it a suitcase? I'm not sure, but I love it anyway!  I'm loving these Wooden flourish cogs too.  They add such great dimension.

 Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1921 Iron Clad, P1924 Gadget, P1922 Coggler, P1918 Steam Engine

CS205 Shine Bright, CT824 Antique Bazaar, FL399 Cogs SS272 Shine Bright

These papers got me thinking about my Dad, so I went and found some old photos waiting to be scrapbooked from my Baby Album.  I chose to make a narrow page about the size of an A4 to add as a feature page in my Baby Album.  I chose papers from the Time Machine Collection and some coordinating Collectables from the "Scrap Yard" and "Antique Bazaar" Collectables.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1918 Steam Engine, CT824 Antique Bazaar, CT827 Scrap Yard, CS205 Shine Bright

I layered the photo onto some Collectables and added a little Kaisercraft rhinestone arrow.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1918 Steam Engine, CT824 Antique Bazaar, CT827 Scrap Yard, CS205 Shine Bright

I love the green colours in this collection combined with the neutrals.  I haven't seen the Collectables for Time Machine.  But I thought the Scrap Yard collectables matched quite nicely.  Collectables would probably be my most favourite element in all the Kaisercraft ranges.  They make crafting so fun and easy.  I chose to mix a few collections for these projects.

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1918 Steam Engine, CT824 Antique Bazaar, CT827 Scrap Yard, CS205 Shine Bright

I made a spot for some hidden journalling behind the bottom photo.  It can just slide in and out behind the photo.  I like hidden journalling spots.  You can write what you really feel and then hide it away!

Supplies: Kaisercraft Time Machine P1918 Steam Engine, CT824 Antique Bazaar, CT827 Scrap Yard, CS205 Shine Bright

The last project I am sharing today is this Pocket Page Layout I made to match the photos in my traditional layout.  I used two 3x4 cards that I cut from the 12x12 paper and matched them with my six photos.  I chose not to journal, but added a few little stickers and a word die cut and a Kaisercraft Rhinestone star.  I kept everything very simple.

Kaisercraft Time Machine P1924 Gadget, SS272 Shine Bright, CT819 Shine Bright

This photo in the bottom left is one of my personal favourites.  I love seeing all the old caravans, tents and cars in the background.  It is so 1970s!  Life looks slow and carefree at this camping spot.

Kaisercraft Time Machine P1924 Gadget, SS272 Shine Bright, CT819 Shine Bright

I love this quote from the Time Machine Collection:

Time is Free

But its priceless

You can't own it

But you can use it

You cant keep it 

But you can spend it

Once you've lost it

You can never get it back.

Harvey Mackay

Very thought-provoking.  I thought it tied in well with these old photos.

Kaisercraft Time Machine P1924 Gadget, SS272 Shine Bright, CT819 Shine Bright

Finally I slipped in a little "hello" collectable  and a few stickers from the from the Shine Bright collection.  This layout was really fun and simple to pull together.

If you have gotten this far on  my super long post you have made it to the end! Congratulations!!  I hope you enjoyed all my little Kaisercraft projects.  I sure had a lovely time making them all.  I can only hope that I might get through this round and make it onto the Kaisercraft Design Team.  It would really be a dream come true for me. Fingers and toes crossed people!! Wish me luck!!

What's your favourite collection? Silver Bells or Time Machine?

Thanks for reading : )