a review of sorts

I have always thought it a shame that my cards don't have something on them to help my customers get in touch with me or connect to our blog if they desire. Since I have large order of cards I am trying to fill before I move, I decided to get my hands on a self stamping and printing kit. It worked perfectly and the end result looks better than I imagined. Since these little kits are under $40, I am recommending it to you with two thumbs up.

It works just like a miniature printing press. You just take the tiny letters, line them up backwards on your plate, then stamp away. Lining up the microscopic letters was painstaking, I'll be honest, but the backwards part was easier than I expected. My kit came with extra letters; the standard large set and an additional smaller set. This allows you to play around with your design more and fit in more text. The extra $5 this cost was well worth it.

Here it is all lined up on my plate and ready to go. My plate allows for four lines of text, some allow for five so that is something to be aware of. My kit also came with 2 plates so that you can have two different bits of text ready to go.

For a bit of colour I also got this wood carved stamp from trade aid.

and TA DA! Now that the backs of my cards are claimed by my stamp, there will never be any question about who made them!

So if you are interested you can get this at warehouse stationary or paper plus (I know, not my top stores either). There are a few different kinds but I got the "Shiny s-883."

Okay so there you have it, my first and maybe only product review. :)

I leave you with my favourite card from this order. I call it, "I dream of kitties!"

Emily & Beau's wedding is tomorrow night so I am headed over to her place now for a frantic wedding cake baking session. wish me luck!

Also T minus 12 days before we got to Berlin! We are getting kind of desperate for housing so if anybody has some hook ups, please let me know. (we've emailed over 20 people who are renting out there rooms, but have only heard back from 2. What gives?)

cheers!
-k

big changes around here

first of all,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIES!

I am so excited about Noor and her birth, but that doesn't mean I forgot about you! I hope it was a good one for you, I can't think of a better gift than a perfect little baby daughter.

I know Lies will be busy for the next little while, so I just want to thank everyone for their congratulations. This blog community is a really supportive place, and all the lovely comments about Noor show that ten times over. Thanks everyone!

A recent set of collage cards I made for work. (they send out a ton of cards all the time, so they bought some off me). I handed in my letter of resignation today which I have very mixed feelings about. There is no way I would be leaving my job if it weren't for the my personal circumstances. It has been hands down a fabulous experience, such a fun, creative, and supportive environment. Great people, and its not often you find a place in which you feel really understood and appreciated for who you are and what you contribute. So sad to leave, I mean it!

WHAT MYSTERIOUS PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES? you ask....


Here's a clue. Passport shots!

On May 11th, I offically become a New Zealand citizen and then Luke and I are outta here for a little while. We are moving to Berlin on a one year working holiday visa. At the moment I am equal parts excited and intimadated by this venture. and I have a to do list roughly the length of my forearm. no kidding.

On the list, practising my oath:

I kimberlee munn swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors according to the law, and that I will faithfully observe the laws of New Zealand and fulfill my duties as a New Zealand Citizen. So help me God.

Yes truly, I have to say that. Also 'His Worship" the mayor will be there as well. HIS WORSHIP? are they flipping joking? outdated language, eh.

Hopefully this all explains my absence from the blog world lately. I am still reading and loving it all, but am being a bit of a lurker and not commenting. Sorry folks, that is just the way I have to roll for a little while.

Anyway, hope you are well.
Mother's Day coming up, don't forget to love on your moms! xoxxo to mine!

-kimberlee

Pretty gift, sweet lisp

I've been scanning some fabricdetails for thank-you-cards, then printed the images on recycled 200 gsm paper. The result is very pretty (i think ha). The cards are just meant as give-aways and not for sale, I wouldn't feel comfortable making money from someone else's designs and efforts. I made a gathered dress for Gabriel's friend Mel's two year old Estelle, they came over from Melbourne to stay with us. Lieveke called it 'the lolly' dress, she made a beaded necklace for Estelle to go with the dress, all by herself. We wrapped the gifts in a funky newspaper blow-up of a red cabbage cut in half, and added one of the new cards.
Lieveke fell over yesterday, right on her mouth... It was all messy and bloody and Gabe and I got into an argument because we didn't really know what to do... We are not very together when our chick is in danger, sigh. Today the damage seems limited : one chipped front tooth and some scratching/teethmarks on the chin, although an xray this afternoon will tell more. The chick is twirling and summersaulting and what-notting as if nothing's happened, with an ever so sweet lisp.

PS : tonight I'll be adding the last 'blooms-dress' to Etsy (edit : it sold already!). -X Lies

things to do with paper

paper paper paper, I love you so. Never overlook the beauty of scraps.

it's really getting good when paper starts to take over the house.

some envelopes at the pre folded stage

i heart making cards again. for a while it became a chore so i stopped, but i'm back in the saddle again.

Utilizing illustrator Mel Stringer's work that appeared in Frankie, and some retro wall paper samples. blithe doll top right.

ANOTHER THING TO DO WITH PAPER: extreme version
BOX WARS

First create a whole world of cardboard. Does this remind you Michelle Gondry's science of sleep? (watch trailer here if you have know idea what I am talking about and want to know.)

wall features are always the the right answer.

so is having the ribbon play

Secondly, launch chaotic fight of people wearing cardboard costumes.

the only rule of box wars: try and keep cardboard on your person while ripping it off someone else's person.

Box Wars was held at cross street studios on october 31st. This is an international movement that you can find out more about here.

-k

BAM!

here are some of the cards I am taking to the markets with me this sunday. because its KRAFTBOMB (see side bar for details).

elephants and animals

domesticity is getting me down

EMOTIONS!!!!!

PERIL!!!!

and for the boys....

luke rocks out on the xylophone so I had him in mind when I made the one above.

ACTION ACTION ACTION!
Q. why are all the pictures of girls about emotions and relationships while all the pictures of boys are about adventure?
A. because all my book are from the 60s, 70s and early 80s.
Q. Is that a good enough answer? are things better today?
okay enough pseudo sociology!
okay must run! (roll? oh geeze, oh man, but I couldn't resist.)
have a great weekend and maybe see you sunday?

-k

feeling bluesy

oh no say it ain't so!

I have been making cards, these two are taken from comic strips in a popular girls mag circa 1960. I worry about the message here: teen life full of drama, boyfriends, popularity, and having long thin legs. which is a message I think still prevails today. I hope I made it look O.T.T. (over the top, for those of you who don't talk in ironic abbreviations. but you should try it, it's fun.)

mean girls

To cheer myself up from my bluesy morn I have posted a few things I have been up to:

merrily the treetops
19.5 cm squared
a collage (not a card) with some painting.

arranging these glass jars full of dead and dying things is a happy activity, because if your garden dies, that's okay. it can still look pretty.


my cheerful army, with new wild kitties joining the ranks.

and I am returning to my sci-fi needlework which I call a device for contacting the future humans (a working title). I had put this away for a while because I was impatient and the results were slow yielding. Good thing I found this red hoop over the weekend, what a motivator. I have a lot more to go, but baby steps, right?

so this has cheered me up significantly. also reading the comments about the wabbit maker was delightful. My favourite was hearing about the 8 yr old who played it 20 times in a row - exactly what I was hoping for :)

and also I have been meaning to share a few super fantastic crafty blogs I have found or rediscovered recently....

elsie marley image above is from her child's room which also featured in apartment therapy here
anna maria horner who is a fabric artist
wren who is a brooklyn based craft artist and also works at a martha stewart craft magazine

that's all for now.

happy midweek.
-k

to market, to market, to market, we go!

CRAFTWERK TONIGHT! BLISS!

so we are bringing:

our dolls

our pretty pictures, our toys, our shoes

clothes for babies and toddies

many many cards

more cards

and also
bags
bibs
boys pants
paper art
and maybe more!

we really hope to see you there
ST KEVEN'S ARCADE ON K ROAD
6-9 PM TONIGHT Thursday Aug. 14th

we are upstairs to the left of the stage

and while hunting for some last minute supplies, I found these rabbits at $3 Japan. but I would have paid twice that.

and when I opened them up, scented!
THIS IS A GOOD DAY.
I hope for you too.

-kimberlee