I am Leonie and I'm an Independant Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Sydney, Australia.Archive for Stampin' Up!®
Secret Blossoms
Posted by: | CommentsAs you are aware I run a forum for Australian and New Zealand Stampin’ Up!® Demonstrators called ESAD-SU which stands for Extra Special Australian (and New Zealand) Demonstrators for Stampin’ Up!
As part of this group we also have a Secret Stampin Sister program where we are given a partner and we spoil them with cards and hand made gifts for 3 months. The recipient doesnt know who she is to receive from so its all a little bit exciting to get those little secret treasures in our mailbox.
I received my first card for this round last week and today I’m sharing it with you.
How nice is this card??
I’m not really one for ‘red’ but I just love everything about this card! I love this little blossom flower from Embrace Life and that ‘for you’ sentiment is also one of my favourites!
The base card is Naturals Ivory which they’ve then stamped the blossom image in Close to Cocoa and coloured the blossoms in what I think is Regal Rose and Ruby Red – wonder how close I am in guessing the colours??
The edging is from the set All Scallops which was in the Summer Mini December 2008. She’s then used the Scallop Border punch to do the edging. She’s also stamped this same stamp onto Ruby Red cardstock in Whisper White Craft Ink. She has used three red brads in the spine of the card to give it that extra ‘wow’ factor.
Thank you so much to my secret sister for this gorgeous card and hopefully you read my blog so you know how much I love this card! It has that old ‘aged’ feel to it and I love it.
I will share future cards and goodies I’m sent and we wont know who my secret sister was until the reveal at the end of May.
A special thanks goes to Lynda for picking up my typo which I’ve now fixed up – a little pressie will be in the mail to you 
Scalloped Bunnies
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s share is the last from Monday’s Stamp A Stack in which I was asked for ‘Easter cards for kids’.
This is a very easy and simple card and one that you can give to anyone just by changing the colours and designer series papers.
Recipe:
Stamps: Greetings Eight, Occasional Greetings.
Paper: Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Whisper White, Regal Rose, Brocade Blue, Morning Sun, Tea Party DSP, Washington Apple DSP
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Brocade Blue, Regal Rose, Morning Sun
Accessories: Circle Scissor Plus, Ribbons, Stampin Dimensionals, Watercolour Crayons, Aqua Painter, Scallop Circle Punch.
I also showed my ladies how to use your Scalloped Circle punch to create scallops on larger circles. This way you only need the one punch and the ‘know-how’ to use it for larger circles.
I got this idea from the lovely Marelle Taylor and this is how you do it ….
I have punched a 1 3/4″ circle and I want to put a scalloped edge around it and as you can see from this picture that our scalloped circle punch isn’t big enough to do so.
So what we need to do is to punch two Scalloped Circles and punch another circle in the centre – I’ve used the 3/4″ punch here
using your Paper Snips cut right through between a scallop and then from the centre and on every second scallop snip to within a couple of millimetres of the scallop and do this all the way around your scalloped circle. I am hoping you can see the pictures OK to see what I’m talking about! Then on the second scalloped circle cut to how many you need to fill up the scallops.
Using your fingers spread the sections out being careful not to spread too much as they can brake off.
Then take the circle you want to scallop behind and place small sections of Snail Adhesive behind and then spread your scallops around ensuring they are even and have the same amount showing on each one. Once your finished you can then attach to your project or to ensure the scallops dont fall off punch out another 1 3/4″ circle to attach behind to keep it all secure.
So how easy is that??
Now you dont need to buy umpteen scalloped circle punches for each size circle you want to scallop – you just need the one!
As a special bonus from me to you I am offering a bonus just for my customers …. when you spend $60 with me from now until end of March I will give you a free Sale A Bration stamp set. I have a few spares here so happy to reward my customers in little ways like this so email or ring me today with your order and payment details.
Thanks for stoppin by
Truckloads of Eggs
Posted by: | CommentsIf your house is anything like mine then it tends to look like a Cadbury shop at Easter time!! We always say we buy too much and we wont buy so much next Easter but we always do!
I am going to try and buy just a couple of eggs and maybe throw in an iTunes or giftcard from Target or Big W or similar. So I might still ’spend’ the same amount but make the gift a little more useful. All I have to do is think chocolate and I put on a kilo! so doing the giftcards will be much better for everyone involved! Or maybe I’ll buy everyone a Gloria Jean’s giftcard and they can take me out for coffee!
Anyway … onto the card ….
I have borrowed this set from my lovely downline Jossleen for today’s Stamp A Stack. You’ll probably notice that the colours in this card are not one’s I’d normally choose but wanted to make a ‘boy’ Easter card for today’s Stamp A Stack and think its turned out quite well.
Recipe
Stamps: Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories
Papers: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Good Morning Sunshine DSP
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Pacific Point, Basic Gray, Going Gray
Accessories: Stampin Write Markers (to colour eggs & sentiment), stapler, staples, Bashful Blue Grosgrain, Stampin Dimensionals, Small Tag Punch, Tag Punch
Hope the ladies like this one today!
Thanks for stoppin by
Hopping into Easter
Posted by: | CommentsOOOO did you know that Easter is just 3 weeks away?? yup so you better get your lists to the Easter Bunny so he (or she) can spoil you this Easter. Actually thinking about it the Easter Bunny must be a ’she’ cos could a he really be organised so well and get so many eggs to so many people at the same time? no I dont think so either!!
Firstly let me thank everyone for their messages and prayers for my husbands cataract surgery last week. He’s had some discomfort yet is amazed at how he can now see many things he just couldn’t see before. He still has to be careful with his eye and there is still lots of healing to be done. So please keep those prayers going.
Its Saturday again so that means another Sketch Challenge from the Utah Divas International group.
This one has many possibilities however as I have a Stamp A Stack on Monday and they’ve asked for ‘kids’ Easter cards I figured I may as well use the sketch for one of the cards.
I have also used my punches to create the ‘bunny’ and I followed the instructions by Amy Celona which you can find here.
As you can see there is minimal stamping on the card – just using the Egg Hunt Stampin’ Round and a Teeny Tiny Sentiment from one of the upcoming stamp sets in the Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue which starts 1st April.
I do hope you like this card and I encourage you to ‘hop‘ onto the next Diva with her creation for this sketch which is Lori
Now dont forget to hop around all the blogs for the Utah Divas International Sketch Challenge Team. You will find links to the next blog at the end of each post like I’ve done here.
Thanks for stoppin by
Painted Easel
Posted by: | CommentsHello!! Well I knew it had been a while since I’d posted but I had thought it was days rather than weeks! I am so sorry – we’ve had so much happening and I havent been 100% but now with super-charged meds I should be on the road to recovery – well lets hope so cos they cost $70!
Its Saturday so time for another Utah Divas International Sketch Challenge and another lovely sketch from the lovely Carol. 
I looked and looked at this sketch until I worked out what to do – I know its not a hard sketch but I wanted to do something a little different and this is what I came up with …
It suddenly dawned on me that I could do an Easel Card and I’d done one of these for Christmas but not for a general card and since I am now creating classes for Mother’s Day gifts I thought why not turn this into a Mother’s Day card!
It also happens to be my Mum’s birthday on 1st April so I can easily make this card into a lovely birthday card just by changing the sentiment! Mum has always loved hydrangeas and has always had at least one plant of them in her garden if not a row of them! I am sure she’s had them at every house she’s lived in.
I love these Easel cards as they are so so so easy to make and when someone receives one they just ooo and aaah over them!
Now so you can see how they stand here is an image of the side view of the card when standing.
These cards flatten out for easy posting too – you might just have to include instructions on how to stand them up and show them off!
Now we are continuing with the Sketch round so now hop over to Lori’s blog to see what wonderful creation she has made this week.
Now my lovely husband has to go in for cataract surgery on Monday so I will be out at the hospital with him all day but will try to be back posting regularly again for you – I actually have some projects I havent posted yet so thats a good thing. If you dont mind please say a prayer for him (and me) on Monday.
Thanks for stoppin by
One for the boys ….
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Hard to believe its been 2 weeks since our Sale A Bration Spectacular and there were so many gorgeous Make n Takes on the day I was sad I didnt get to sit down and do any. So while we were packing up I managed to grab a couple of the packs and when I got home I realised I only grabbed two so I’ll have to get onto the girls to grab the rest and make them up.
I pulled one out tonite to make and it was one from Lisa and its a card using Natures Nest. Now when I pulled it I realised I didnt have a photo of the sample card so I thought I’d pop over to her blog and alas it wasnt there.
I did follow the instructions in her kits but I did make a few alterations of my own.
Here’s my card ….
I just love this card and I know Lisa wont mind me making the alterations. I love the colours in the card – very earthy and rather masculine. I even managed to christen my curly label punch! The sentiment is from the Sale A Bration Vintage Labels set.
This is a great quick and easy card and I’d love to show you how to make it so why not contact me today to arrange your demonstration. I do have a couple of spots left in March so you can still benefit from Sale A Bration.
During Sale A Bration you can earn free stamp sets! Earn a free stamp set for every $100 you purchase and if you would like to be the hostess at a demonstration then you have the opportunity to earn more free Sale A Bration sets as well as earning the free Hostess benefits you’d normally get for holding a demonstration.
Sale A Bration finishes on 31st March so ring and book in your demonstration today or place your order.
Thanks for stopping by ….
Utah Divas Sketch Challenge #71
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It seems we’ve arrived at another Saturday and yes that means another sketch challenge from the lovely Carol.
Simple enough hey? and look …. a circle!! I just had to use my Circle Scissor Plus for this challenge and I know I’ve done a few circles lately but I love that Circle Scissor Plus so much and it makes circles so so easy!
Here’s my first card ….
Yes you read that right … I did say ‘first’ card.
I love the Inspired by Nature Set and wanted to do a ‘grass’ card for a while and hopefully it has a bit of a manly feel to it.
I originally just had the En Francias stamp on the background layer but thought it looked a bit plain. Well my trusty Baroque Motifs helped fix that!
I do hope you like this card – I’m not totally sure about it.
Now while doing it I thought how nice it would be with the flowers from Inspired by Nature so I had to give it a go.
I’ve missed using my purples of late so grabbed them in the markers to colour the flower direct to the rubber of the stamp.
Its the same as the grass card but just in different colours and using the flower stamp.
I like this second card a lot more than the first however I do feel that some of that can be attributed to the use of eggplant and plum cardstocks and markers.
Now from this week we are doing something a little different with the sketch challenges. Usually I direct you to the Utah Divas blog for the other ladies on the design team however from this week there will be a link at the end of our posts directing you to the next design team member.
So without further a do I am happy to guide you over to Lorie’s blog. I met Lorie through Utah Divas group and since then we’ve become good friends – maybe its the passion we both have for stamping and chocolate – who knows!! Enjoy doing the rounds of the Utah Divas Sketch Challenge Team!
Thanks for stoppin by ….
Thinking of You ….
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One of the men involved with our Church has recently hurt his back and as he does so much for the Church and the community centre I wanted to send him a card to let him know he is in our thoughts and prayers.
I loved making this card!
Making cards for men is not always easy for me and I really love how this one turned out. I do love the soft muted edges that daubering gives.
Recipe:
Stamps: Sanded Background, Trendy Trees
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Brocade Blue, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
Inks: Brocade Blue, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel.
Accessories: Photo Corner Punch, Silver Brads, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig
I do hope you like this card as much as I do and maybe you’d like to hold a demonstration and see how this card is made as well as many others and have the opportunity to earn free stamps while SaleABration is still happening – if so contact me today to book in your demonstration.
Thanks for stoppin by ….
Egg-ceptional
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With Easter in early April I was asked by one of my Stamp A Stack groups to make an Easter card. I dont have ‘Easter’ sets as such so started looking through my Stamps for a set to use.
Here is my Easter card which I’ve used the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalogue.
It is a great set for a few different occasions and its a great one for water colouring or colouring in.
The eggs I’ve stamped straight onto Designer Series Papers then just coloured the patterned part of the eggs with my Stampin’ Write Markers.
Can you see the clouds in the sky??
I followed the tutorial from my good friend Gretchen Baron’s sponged clouds tutorial on her blog and if you’d like to know how to do the sky then I’m more than happy to come and do a demonstration to show you and your friends just how easy it is!
I am starting Technique Classes in March with the first one being on 10th March. Places are limited so please make sure you book in early.
The wagon, eggs and duck are all cut out and mounted onto the grass/sky layer. Oh and a trick to cut out the wheels was to use my handy dandy 1/4” circle punch – they fit perfectly!
I do hope the ladies enjoy making this card today!
Thanks for stoppin by
Seeing Spots …. or is that Circles?
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Good morning everyone – I do hope you are well and not getting washed away with all this rain we are having in Sydney. We do need it and it is falling in the catchment areas so that’s a good thing as it means its going into our dams where we need it.
Thursday I shared with you two scrapbook layouts I made using the Circle Scissor Plus and at our SaleABration Spectacular I demonstrated using the Circle Scissor Plus and the different ways you can use it.
Today I want to share with you two cards I used as samples on the day.
This first card was done using the Sweet Always Designer Series Papers, coordinating cardstock and the A Kind Word and Always Stamp sets.
I showed the ladies just how easy it is to do frames with the Circle Scissor Plus without moving it. I’ve also thrown in a couple of our circle punches to show how well Stampin’ Up! products go together.
Not to let the boys out I even made a card for them!
This card uses the Windsor Knot Designer Series Papers, coordinating cardstock, and the All in the Family, On Your Birthday and the Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp sets.
I have layered the circles again for the main image and with the All in the Family stamp set its imperative you use the Stamp-a-ma-jig so all your images line up well.
I did try to not use it and my little girl (which is not shown here) ended up with fangs from the top of her dress! Not a good look for a little girls card – unless of course you’re doing a Twilight theme!!!
I am running classes this first term called “Tool Time” where I will highlight a tool and show you different ways of using your Stampin’ Up! tools. So many times we see them demonstrated and just ‘have’ to have it and then it get put on the shelf or in the cupboard to gather dust.
The first class will be on the Circle Scissor Plus and you will get to know this tool and make three projects using the Circle Scissor Plus.
Tool Time – Circle Scissor Plus
Date ~ 26th February, 2010 Time ~ 10.30am Cost ~ $20.00 bookings essential
Thanks for stopping by
