Archive for the ‘Techniques’ Category

As you know yesterday I was on a mission to make some ‘male’ themed cards and so after making yesterdays “So Autumn” card I pulled out my Inspired by Nature set as the grass stamp in this set is so good for ‘male’ cards.  I also pulled out Baja Breeze & Not Quite Navy inks and cardstock cos well blue tones are boy tones right?

This is what I came up with …

Recipe
Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Occasional Quotes
Paper: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Inks: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Large oval punch, Stampin’ Sponges

So what’s the verdict?  is it male? female? or is it both?

This is another one of those ‘multi use’ cards that if you changed the sentiment it could be used for any occasion.

I did create a few more cards with my Inspired by Nature yesterday so stay tuned as I’ll be showing them on my blog over the next few days. Inspired by Nature is a great set for any occasion and I’m happy to have it continue in the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue and I really should use it more!

Hope you have a great Saturday despite the rain – but we do need it. If you are in one of the areas thats been affected by flooding then please stay safe.

Now if you happen to pray please pray for those in New Zealand who have been affected by that Earthquake early this morning.  Praying all my New Zealand friends are safe.

I’ve had a bit of a creative block lately and today it was nice to pull out some stamps and ink have the creative juices flowing.

Well it officially became Spring on Wednesday however the last two days its felt like Autumn again so I pulled out some Autumn colours as some customers have asked for ‘male’ cards.  I then decided that if I’m doing Autumn colours then I should use an ‘Autumn’ stamp set and there’s no better Autumn set than Autumn Days.

  I love this wheat stamp!

This is a very quick and easy card and you can adapt it for any occasion just by changing the sentiment.

The sentiment on this card is from the Sense of Time stamp set which I am glad to say is in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue.

Recipe:
Stamps: Autumn Days, Sanded, Sense of Time
Paper: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
Inks: More Mustard, Soft Suede, Always Artichoke
Accessories: 1 1/4″ square punch, 1 3/8″ square Punch, Sponge Daubers, Crimper, Stampin Dimensionals.

Have you got your copy of the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue yet?  Its 164 beautiful pages of stamps, accessories, colours, tools and ideas – its a must have!  Email or ring me today to arrange your copy – or arrange a date to hold your demonstration and get the gorgeous catalogue for free!

I do hope you like this card and I hope the ladies tomorrow night like it too!

cos the ESAD 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue Blog Hop is here!

I do hope you have got yourself a cuppa and a biscuit – maybe even a chocolate one as there are 25 lovel blogs as part of this New Catalogue tour!

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators and it is an online group just for Australian and New Zealand demonstrators for Stampin’ Up!

We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors but we share our love
for what we do with each other as Demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know how and cyberstamps and we are
always there to help and support each other when its needed.

So if you are a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group. Now if you’re not a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and would like to be please email me for a ‘no obligaton’ information pack.

Now as I’m the first in the blog hop you just keep going until you get back to me – easy   Also, if you happen to come across a link that doesnt have their posts up then scroll down to the bottom of the last blog post you were on and there will be a list of all the blogs involved.

We have blog Candy!

This blog hop we are offering blog candy for those who take the time and effort to visit every blog and leave a comment on all the blogs. All you have to do to be entered into the draw is to visit each blog and leave a comment on each one. Once you’ve done this email me and let me know you’ve fulfilled the requirment and  advised your name, email and location and I will enter you into the draw! How easy is that??

Now onto my project ….

One of the great new sets in the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue is called Artistic Etchings and I was lucky enough to be able to pre-order this set – one of the benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator is being able to pre-order stamps before the catalogues are released to the general public.

Now I wanted to make something more than just a few cards and I’ve mentioned before that I love using the Stampin’ Up! notecards.  So I designed a ‘bag’ that would fit the notecards inside.

So using the notecard size  I went about designing the little briefcase and I just love how it turned out. I deliberated for quite some time on how to get the briefcase to get the texture of a real bag and decided that it would be easier to just use my stamp pad to create the lines/scratches on it. Then I just stamped some of the images from Artistic Etchings on the case to mimic those luggage bags with stickers and labels on them.

The three little cards fit in the briefcase perfectly and it uses a velcro dot to close the bag.  Here are the cards …

Now as I was making the briefcase and cards I thought of making a concertina passport photo book. I then remembered that my neice and her hubby are currently living in the UK and have made a couple of trips over to Europe and in particular France so I messaged Cath and asked if I could use some of their photo’s to which she was happy to do so.

So I set to work on the Passport.  Again I made it the size of the notecards so it would fit in the briefcase – and this way I wouldnt have to make another bag!  I downloaded and printed the photo’s I wanted to use and then set about to create the concertina part. I placed the photo’s without sticking them down so I knew where to put my stamps.Once I’d stamped and sponged the pages I popped the photo’s in and tagged them and I was done.

The Paris label on the front was printed on cardstock using word and I then attached the frame from the Styled Silver Hodgepodge (which I’m glad is in the new Catalogue) and popped it on the front.  It might look involved but it really was quite easy once I’d worked out where to put what photo.

I do hope you like what I’ve made as I really did enjoy making these two little projects. It’s Cath’s birthday later this month so I’m going to send the briefcase and the passport over to her – I do hope she likes it!

Now its time to head off on your journey to the next Blog that’s part of the hop being the lovely Keryn Campbell from New Zealand (see I knew you’d need a passport!!)

Here’s a list of all the ladies participating in the blog hop just in case one of the links in the posts dont work …

Its that time again – a new round of the Secret Stampin’ Sister program! I cant believe we are up to round 4 already!

I’ve received  a couple of gorgeous cards this month and I wanted to share them with you today.

How nice is this card?

These arent colours I would have put together but dont they look so very nice?? Colours used are Kraft (Crumb Cake), Baja Breeze and Elegant Eggplant.  I’m going to add this one to my Stamp A Stack Selection – I love it.

I love the touch of the Elegant Eggplant ribbon and the scrunched flower.

They have used the lovely Medallion stamp too – I thought it odd when I’d made those Medallion cards the other week and here comes one in the mail for me!

Now I received this card a couple of weeks ago and then yesterday I received the second card for the month of August.

How cool is this one?? and just in time for Father’s Day too!

This card is so neat … and I love how the tie and shirt have matching hankies in the pocket! Too cool – the Designer Series Paper used here is the Windsor Knot papers which will retire on 31st August but suit this card so well.

Now with every good suite the jacket opens up as shown below and the shirt layer opens to reveal a white background for you to pop your message onto …..

Now dont forget the Last Chance List and those items that are discounted even more than before – also I’m still offering free post on all orders up till 31st August so get on the phone or shoot me an email with your order and how you wish to pay.

Being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator has brought many wonderful people into my life and some of these just happen to be other demonstrators.  I run an online forum for demonstrators from Australia and New Zealand called ESAD (Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators)  and through this group I’ve met lots of wonderful ladies and also as we share our creations online with those demonstrators we find ourselves inpired and motivated by others.

One such card that inspired these cards today was created by Julia Leece – a demonstrator from New Zealand.

Here is my card in the lovely purple tones of Elegant Eggplant and Pale Plum

I love these colours together and will be so sad to see Pale Plum retire next week – its been one of my favourites over the four years I’ve been a Demonstrator.

I loved this card so much that I decided to make a few in different colours ….

The other colour combinations I’ve used here are Baja Breeze/Basic Black and Pretty in Pink/Chocolate Chip – these make a lovely Stamp A Stack card and the girls enjoyed making them here the other week. This is another versatile card that would suite any occasion just by changing the sentiment.

Now dont forget there is just one week left to order anything from the current 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue and the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue as these books both finish on 31st August.

Now as a special offer to my lovely and loyal customers from now until 31st August anyone placing an order of $100 or more I will pay the shipping and handling!  So this gives you a little more spending money right? Dont forget to check out the Last Chance List and the Availability List here.

So go grab a cuppa and have a good look through both catalogues and get your orders to me – you can email me or ring me.

Sorry for not posting the last couple of days … I got my birthday present early and have been playing with it and configuring it and trying to work out how to get it to do what I want it to do – what is ‘it’??  It’s an iPad!  I’m not as impressed as I thought I’d be but I’m slowly working it out.

If you remember I had my lovely friend Tanya come stay for a few days at the beginning of the month and one of the projects she brought kits for us (us being my lovely friend Lisa and myself) to make is this awesome 3d Truck complete with cards!

How cool is this truck? and doesnt every girl need a pink truck? I think so!!  Looking at the above image I’m thinking we could even pop on some swirls or flourishes around the fender. Now that would be cool would it not?

Here are the lovely cards we made to pop inside ….

They are like a gate fold. Now when I was making my cards I got a bit of a serve from the girls asking why I put the presents and pets in the back. Well when you move you have to take the pets right?? and there will also be all those housewarming presents you’ll need to pick up too!! Or maybe they are all the new stamps and accessories in the upcoming 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue!!

Now if you didnt want to put cards in the back of the truck you’d be able to fit in some coffee/hot chocolate sachets, chocolates, gift card, small stamp set, ribbons, brads, glimmer paints, gorgeous new sizzlits dies or some of the lovely new textured impressions embossing folders! So much to choose from!!

Now you wont fit the new Idea Book & Catalogue in the back of that truck but you can arrange your own copy from me as I have received my order of 4 boxes!

You can get yours by ….

• paying $10 plus postage. Now if you live close by and can pick it up or I can drop it off you wont have to pay the postage. Also, you will receive a rebate of $10 on your first order from the new catalogue of $100 or more.
• book a workshop & get it for free – its that easy!

Now if you do happen to purchase yours from me and after reading the book decide you need a workshop to earn the awesome new products for free then I will give you a voucher valued at $10 to use at your workshop.

Contact me today to arrange your workshop and get your free catalogue!

Just a quick note that a few of the ESAD girls are busy making samples to introduce the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue to our lovely customers and blog readers.

So be sure to check back on the 1st September so you can start hopping along and viewing all the gorgeous art work. You can start here on 1st September and all the projects will be up at 10am Sydney time so mark your diaries!

Today is my sweet baby girl’s 11th birthday!  Hard to believe it was 11 years ago that Miss Emily came into the world – and in a hurry too I might add!! Just over 2 hours labour – eeeeek!  It all seems like yesterday – well ok maybe not yesterday but not that long ago!

Emily has always loved the Garden Whimsy stamp set so I went straight for that set to create her card.

When I had the thought of those butterflies I thought them flying through the grass would be a nice effect and I thought what better stamp for grass than the one from Inspired by Nature.  I added a bit of sponging for the grass and added some sponged clouds using the scallop circle punch.

As I had a Stamp A Stack here yesterday I gave hubby the task of doing birthday shopping – brave I know!  He did quite well and just goes to prove he can buy birthday presents after all!

It was then my task last night to create the gift bag to fit the presents in.  I found a tutorial by the lovely Makeesha and just did some tweaking with the measurements to fit the presents in. So two sheets of Sweet Always Designer Series Paper and some ribbon later and we have a bag for the presents!

I just stamped some more butterflies, cut them out and popped them on and whallah

I hope she has a wonderful day today as she’s going to bed early tonight after one of her friends slept over last night … well not sure they actually slept so maybe we should call it a giggle-over!!

Happy Saturday to you!!

After finally inking up the medallion stamp on Thursday I wanted to make some more and maybe some feminine cards with it and I think I’ve achieved that with this new card.

Recipe
Stamps: Medallion, All a Flutter, Occasional Quotes
Inks: Versamark, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black
Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Stampin Sponges, Stampin Dimensionals, Aqua Painter, Rose Red Stampin Write Marker

I love the softness of the Medallion in this card and look …. I embossed!! I dont emboss often but I love how this turned out. This card could suit any occasion just by changing the sentiment.

I have my monthly Stamp A Stack here at home today and this is one of the cards the girls will be making – I do hope they like it as much as I do.

Best be off here and get everything ready!

Today is my hubby’s birthday so I thought I’d break out the Medallion stamp and create something ‘manly’ for him.

I was given the Medallion stamp some time ago and just havent had the chance to play with it.  So I’m sure the girls will be glad to see me using it …….. finally!

I had an image in my mind of what I wanted the card to turn out like and it didnt really turn out as planned but Neil likes it and thats all that matters   Where would I be without sponging and tearing??  I am still not sure about this card so I may need to play with the design a little more when I have more time.  Why does it seem we are continually rushing here, there and everywhere?? I think I might need to plan us a little holiday sometime soon

Well hubby had his favourite meal for dinner – Roast Beef and we made him a chocolate birthday cake so all in all a good day – now I’m off to spend some time with the Birthday Boy!