Remember when you were growing up and you had a birthday and you’d get as many punches as you were old??

Man I’m glad we dont still do that or I would have been covered in bruises the other week!

Today I bring you ‘pretty’ Birthday Punches!  You may have noticed the new triple layer punches we now carry and today I’m sharing a card from Friday’s workshop where we used the new Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch.

How sweet are these two cards? and what a difference the change in colour of cardstock makes!

This card is definitely one of my ‘Queasy’ cards …. actually I think it falls under the ‘Squeasy’ category – Super Quick and Super Easy!!

Recipe
Stamps: Curly Cute
Inks: Melon Mambo
Paper: Concord Crush, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Cheerful Treat DSP (Hostess)
Accessories: 1 1/4″ Square Punch, 1 3/8″ Square Punch, Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Stampin Dimensionals, Rhinestone Jewels

I simply used square punches for the bottom of the present and then used the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch for the ‘bow’ on the present. See Super easy!

Here is the exact same card where I’ve just changed the Bashful Blue layer for Melon Mambo and what a striking difference it has!

This card would be perfect with any of our Designer Series Papers and just match the colours of your cardstock with those used in the packs.

All the colours used in each pack are noted in your Idea Book & Catalogue for easy reference for you and everything is designed with Stampin’ Up!’s wonderful colours so its easy for you to make perfectly coordinated projects – makes life so much easier dont you think?

Well today is day two of the 2011 Stampin’ Up! Convention and I thought I’d share my swap cards I made.

This first one was made using a sketch from Cards n Things Sketch #76 and I couldnt go to Convention without making a swap using the gorgeous Morning Cup Stamp Set.

Recipe
Stamps: Morning Cup, Take a Sip Wheel
Ink: Jet Black Stazon, Elegant Eggplant, Pretty in Pink
Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Lap of Luxury DSP
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Rose Red Stampin Write Marker, Circle Punches (1″, 1 1/4″, 1 3/8″), Scallop Trim Border Punch

For my second card I wanted to make a masculine card so immediately went for the French Foliage Stamp Set

Recipe
Stamps: Word Play, French Foliage
Inks: Early Espresso, Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Paper: Cajun Craze, Confetti White, Early Espresso
Accessories: Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Hemp Twine, Stampin Dimensionals

I hope some of the other demonstrators like my cards so I dont come home with too many of these.

I hope you like these too and they will be available as ‘Stamp A Stack’ cards after Convention.

Have you checked out this week’s Deal of the Week?  Check out all the details here

Well today is the day I fly down to Melbourne for the 2011 Stampin’ Up! Convention … you had no idea it was on right?? lol

My plane flew out at 12.30pm and we should have landed around 2pm and then we were heading off to our Hotel in Spencer Street.

Tonight we have our ESAD Pre-Convention Dinner where 34 of the members of ESAD (plus a couple of husbands and bubs) will meet for dinner and a little Convention Swapping.  It is going to be so much fun and so loud – lets hope the restaurant doesnt kick us out!

For the dinner I made a special 3d item which I first saw when visiting the lovely Linda Higgins with the lovely Melissa Garland over Easter.

How cute are these little baskets ….

How cute are these little baskets and they are super easy to make – you just have to get the score lines in the right place! Yes I did fluff a couple of them up in the process.

I thought these would be an extra special treat for my lovely ESAD members and a little thank you for supporting and being part of the ESAD group.

These little baskets are the perfect size for a little treat like a mini/treat size chocolate bars like mars bar or picnic and I should have enough for all attending the dinner -

I have even kept a couple aside to give to Pam Morgan & Shelli Gardner as they always love to receive swaps as well and who doesnt like chocolate?

Pop back Friday to see my card swaps I made.

What a busy week its been and its only going to get busier!

What do you think of the new blog look? Like it? I do … I have been looking for that right theme forever – well it seems like it anyways. Then when I was browsing the Studio Press site by Brian Gardner the other night I came across this Pretty Young Thing them and it was ‘oh yeah’ and I just edited the graphics and took the hearts off and inserted the coffee cups!!

This Wednesday I fly down to Melbourne for the 2011 Stampin’ Up! Convention – its for 3 days of total Stampin’ Up! awesomeness and I cant wait!  This year I have the pleasure of sharing it with my gorgeous friend and downline Libby Dyson and being Thursday is Libby’s birthday it will be extra special!

So as you can imagine its only going to be busier this upcoming week. Convention finishes on Saturday night with the Awards dinner and then Sunday I’m hiring a car and driving over to see my mum, dad and sister in Cobden – just a little 3 hour drive!  Now I think I might have to stop in Geelong for a cuppa! I fly home again the following Tuesday – lets hope the family survives that long and the house isnt a total warzone when I get back!

Here’s a card I made a little while ago for a swap on ESAD – sadly my swap cards still seem to be travelling as they never arrived – obviously the Postie decided they liked them enough to keep them himself.

I really enjoyed making this card. I just love collage stamping and putting all the elements together and then sitting back and looking at the end product.

There seems to be lots of stamps on this card however its just the Nature Walk Stamp Set (Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue), Teeny Tiny Sentiments and the En Francais background stamp. I’ve also added a piece of the Botanical Gazette Designer Series Paper and how cute are those little Library Clips??

I hope you like this card as much as I enjoyed making it … now I must duck up to the shops to grab some socks and a couple of scarves as it appears as hundreds of Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators from Australia and New Zealand descend on Melbourne so is a cold front! Talk about timing!!

Dont forget the great ‘Deals of the Week’ happening this week – just click the image in the sidebar or here to view them and dont forget they change each Wednesday so be sure to check back.

Now since I’ll be away you’ll need to email me your orders and from now until 20th May I am offering free postage on all orders so email or text me today with your order!

Wow!

What a day!

I had my monthly Stamp A Stack here today and had two new girls join us which in turn gave us a full table – I might have to put this on twice a month if more people wish to come – how cool would that be? I just love this job and being able to do it when it suites me and my family is just a double bonus.

Its been a busy day and I’m so grateful that I managed to do my Utah Divas Sketch Challenge card on Thursday

Here is this week’s sketch ….

OOOhhhh Scallops!!

When I saw this I thought this was the perfect time to use my Scallop Square die in my Big Shot – mind you I’ve had it for a month or so and hadnt used it yet so this was the perfect opportunity!

Here is my card …

Yes I know … I’ve used Every Moment Stamp Set yet again but I just love that set!

Now you might notice that my scalloped square is not really a square on my card.  What I did was cut out a square using the die and then I moved the square along within the scallops and ran it through again to create the scalloped rectangle.  Easy so now you have two uses for the scalloped square die!

Now this die is in the Summer Mini which finishes on 31st March so if you want it or anything else in the mini then make sure you get your order to me before the end of the month – and dont forget the 10% discount that you get if you order with me before 31st March. All purchases of $100 or more also earn Sale•A•Bration sets as well so dont miss out on the discount AND the free sets!

Now why dont you play along with this week’s sketch?  Just click on the sketch above to go to the Utah Divas International Blog and feel free to post your link in a comment here – I’d love to see what you make with it!  I’ll send a RAK to anyone who plays along and posts a comment with their link.

Now the next Designing Diva is the lovely Ruthie Burkey so be sure to stop by her blog and see her lovely creation … oh and dont forget to say hello!

If you are a regular visitor to my blog then you will know just how much I love being a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. This past week has been busy again with getting in those last orders for February and being able to pre-order new stamps and accessories from the upcoming Mini Catalogue as well as the normal housewife & mother duties I have. My new stamps arrived yesterday afternoon so I get to play with them later today!

I feel pretty blessed to be a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator as its meant I can be home for the kids before and after school and keep the house in some form of order – now all these things I couldnt do if I was working in the workforce.  Not only do I have these blessings but I also get my stamps at a regular discount of 20% (sometimes more) and being paid to share what I love to do is just a bonus!

I always hear people say “I’d love a job like yours” well … guess what …. you can!  Stampin’ Up! always welcome new demonstrators and I’d love for you to be a part of my team.  During Sale•A•Bration you get an even better welcome as you can choose a bonus stamp set to the value of $79.95 – how nice is that?

But thats not all – if you join my team not only do you have access to the Stampin Up! Demonstrator website but you will have access to a variety of other forums including my private forum which is just for my team. You will also have me to help and guide you when needed. If you join with me you will also receive a bonus welcome gift just from me as a little thank you to for joining my Stamp A Latte team.

One of the forums you will have access to is the ESAD (Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators) group.  This group is great as we all share and encourage each other and with over 600 members there’s so much wealth of knowledge and experience there. We run cyberstamps, challenges and swaps and of course the odd blog hop.  Just recently we had a Summer Mini Catalogue swap and here is the card I made for that swap.

I do love how this card turned out and I might even do it as a Convention Swap! I used the colours from the Diva Coffee Break Colour Challenge #216 being Early Espresso, Rose Red and Blushing Bride.

Recipe:

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Well Scripted
Paper: Early Espresso, Rose Red, Blushing Bride and Very Vanilla
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Pinking Hearts Border punch, Basic Pearls Jewels and Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon

This card will be one of the cards for the Stamp A Stack on 12th March – it really is very easy to do.

If you like the idea of always getting your stamps and accessories at a discount but dont want to do all the party stuff then that is ok too – the beauty of Stampin’ Up! is that you can do as little or as much as you like. You can even pick the stamps you want in the kit as long as they are the same or lesser value than those suggested on the Demonstrator Kit Order form. Plus there is no annual fee to  remain a demonstrator like some other companies have.

If you join now you could even come to the Stampin’ Up! Convention in May with me!  Signing up is quick and easy as its all done online so no pesky forms to fill out – you just need to answer the questions online.

If you have any questions or would like more information about all the benefits of becoming a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator then please contact me for a free no obligation Information Pack and so I can answer your questions. 

Oh and dont forget to ask about my special gift to you for joining my team.

Welcome to another Saturday and a Utah Divas Sketch Challenge.  Today I had my first ‘home’ Stamp A Stack for 2011 and we had a ball! The ladies loved the cards I made for them and they even paid me for all the fun! Gotta love that   If you are local to me (Campbelltown, New South Wales) and would like to come to my monthly Stamp A Stack or join my Stamp Club then drop me a line for more details.

Now onto this week’s sketch …

Now I did take a peek at the sketch earlier in the week and was trying to work out what to do – then I unpacked an order where I received my free Sale•A•Bration stamp sets and I knew what I wanted to do! I’d also ordered the Subtles Collection Designer Series Paper Stack and then realised this morning what a perfect pair they make!

This is what I made …

As soon as I finished this card I was in love! Not only with the new Designer Series Paper Stacks but also with the Punch Bunch Sale•A•Bration stamp set.  So so easy to use and just perfect every time and all the stamps are designed to go with one of the Stampin’ Up!® Punches – you gotta love that!

Now I loved the Perfect Plum card and thought a Rose Red one would be nice …

Oh boy was I right or what??  but wait … there’s more!!

I just couldnt stop so I made these ….

How sweet is this little set?  Such a quick and easy and cute card   Now how do you get to make these cards?? Well you can either book a workshop with me or you can place an order for all you’ll need for this set and get the Punch Bunch Sale•A•Bration stamp set for free!

You will need ….

• Subtles Collection Cardstock
• Subtles Collection Designer Series Paper Stack
• Whisper White Cardstock
• Scallop Circle Punch
• 1 3/8″ Circle Punch
• 1/4″ White Grosgrain Ribbon
• Stampin Write Markers – Rose Red, Old Olive, More Mustard, Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Pretty in Pink and So Saffron

If you’d like to order all you need and get the Punch Bunch Sale•A•Bration stamp set for free then ring or email me today.

Now its time to skip along to the next designing Diva being the lovely RuthieB!

Here’s the complete list of all the Sketchy Utah Divas in case someone doesnt have their link up or it doesnt work – now dont forget to leave some comment love for us all!

Adriana
Alisa
Barbara
Becky
Elizabeth
Jeannette
Leonie •you are here•
Ruthie
Tammy
Carol

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Well its Friday and there the first week back to School is over. We’ve had to have a few ‘attitude adjustments’ but we survived! Wonder what next week will bring? at least it will be alot cooler

Last week when I was creating cards for Caitie’s friend Steph (Happy Birthday Steph) I mad a selection of Aviary cards and this is the last of the cards I made for Caitie to choose from.

Recipe
Stamps: Aviary, A Word for You
Paper: Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzaz, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White
Inks: Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede
Accessories: Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, Scalloped Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon

How bright and funky is this card??  I love how it turned out!

Aviary is one of the gorgeous sets that comes in the Summer Mini Catalogue which finishes at the end of March so if you feel you need this set please make sure you order it before then.  Also, while its Sale•A•Bration you will receive a free Sale•A•Bration stamp set for every $100 you spend between now and the end of March. Gotta love free stamps!

The Queensland Flood Relief Appeal is still going and you can help just by buying a Stampin’ Up! Stamp set valued at $30 or more – Stampin’ Up! will donate $2 for each set sold valued at $30 or more. This promotion goes until 15th February so please contact me today to place your order.

Please also keep the people of North Queensland in your prayers.  Cyclone Yasi hit at midnight Wednesday at a Category 5 cyclone. Thankfully it hit in a less populated area so there have been NO loss of life or injuries – how amazing is that? Yasi is still making her way across the country but thankfully has now been downgraded to a Tropical Storm but still expecting rain & winds of up to 90km per hour. There have been many homes, crops, trees, banana and sugar plantations destroyed from Yasi’s force so the clean up and rebuilding of the areas affected will take time and money so prayers for that would be appreciated too.

I know I could use one right now however its 6.37am and everyone is in bed and the coffee machine makes such a noise I’d wake them all up and I dont want to do that!  I’ve been up since 4am and awake since 2.40am – I think hubby really needs to see someone about his snoring!

As you know I run a Demonstrator only group for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators in Australia and New Zealand and we run a quarterly secret sister program through the group. Its a great way to get new ideas and be a little spoilt along the way – and who doesnt like handmade cards and little gifts in the mail? I know I love them and this is the gift I got yesterday for September ….

How divine is this?? You’d think my Secret Sister knows me quite well … she did put a note in saying that the pot is for coffee only!

I am going to have to go searching for the template for these – they are just so darned cute!

Now the tea cup has a slit in the top and thats so you can slot the ‘tea bag’ message/sentiment in like here ….

Its just too cute for words!

So if you are my secret sister and happen to be visiting my blog I say thank you for this gorgeous little gift

A little bird told me that Stampin’ Up! have released a new Idea Book & Catalogue and that today Leonie is having a launch for the new catalogue!

How exciting is it to have the start of a new Idea Book & Catalogue??  All those new stamps, papers, colours, tools, accessories and bling! We have been waiting so long for this new Idea Book and Catalogue and I know that you wont be disappointed – there is something for everyone!  Actually there are lots of things for everyone!!

One of the new stamp sets in the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue is the Every Moment Stamp Set.  Its a gorgeous little set and if youre a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and attending this year’s regional training you get this set for free!

Here’s a sweet card I made last week …

Recipe:
Stamps: Every Moment, Just Believe
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzaz
Accessories:  Aqua Painter, Linen Thread

I love this little bird!  She is just so sweet.  This is another ‘queasy’ card and great for any occasion.

Now this is not one of the items the ladies will make at my launch and I do hope they like what they make and if you add chocolate to the mix you really cant go wrong hey??

Well I’d best be off and get this place and me ready for the ladies coming today.  If you cant make it today or tomorrow and would like to place an order please contact me – I’m offering some lovely bonuses for those who purchase, book a workshop or join my team so dont forget to ask about those when you order.