Being a demonstrator for Stampin’ Up! I make many sample cards to share at demonstrations or with my loyal blog readers like yourself.  I have quite a few more cards than I need so its nice to throw one in the mail and send to someone ‘just cos I can’ and its always lovely to get one back – how excited do we get when we see an envelope in our letter box that does NOT have a window??

I know I get very excited as do the girls – they want to know who its from and why they sent it to me.

Now being that I’ve been with Stampin’ Up! now for nearly 4 years – ooo its my Stampin Up! Anniversary next month! I’ve met many lovely people and many of them have become friends.  One of these ladies is the lovely Leonie Newman – who also happens to be in my awesome downline – well she’d have to be great with a name like Leonie wouldnt she??

To my surprise Leonie sent me a little gift last week – she had told me during one our online chats that I should keep an eye on my letter box.

This is what I received ….

Leonie did tell me that she saw this Coffee Sleeve and thought of me immediately — not sure where she gets the idea I’m powered by coffee?!?! I do appreciate the thought as how often have you bought a coffee from a take away and its too hot to hold??

Now the card ….

I love the colours and paper Leonie has used.

This type of card is called a ‘swing’ card as the top swings up to reveal the message or greeting as shown below.

If you would like to learn how to make one of these swing cards then contact me today to arrange your demonstration or class

To Leonie – thank you for blessing me with your friendship and your gorgeous gift!

Now if you’d like to become a demonstrator and join my awesome Stamp A Latte team then please contact me as soon as possible if you want to save $65 on the Starter Kit.  This promotion goes until 31st July which is this Saturday and I’d love for you to join my team and reap the rewards (and all the new friends you’ll make) just as I do!

Benefits of joining my team this week are ….

• Save 20% on the starter kit price – you pay only $259 (a saving of $65)
• Earn 30% commission on your first order within 45 days of joining (use this on items in the new catalogue or Big Shot!)
• Join my wonderful team of over 100 demonstrators
• Pre-order from the new catalogue before it goes ‘live’ on 1^st September
• Get a bonus gift from me when you join my team (to the value of $35)
• Gain access to my Stamp A Latte Team forum
• Gain access to the ESAD forum and network with over 500 demonstrators
• Gain access to the Stampin’’ Up Demonstrator website
• attend my team meetings

If you would like more information or have any questions please dont hesitate to contact me.

Thanks for stoppin by

How nice is this card??

Rich Razzleberry, Autumn Days and the Top Note so what’s not to love??

Recipe
Stamps : Autumn Days, Occasional Greetings
Paper:  Rich Razzelberry, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Inks:  Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede
Accessories:  Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker, Bravo Burgundy Stampin’ Write Marker, Old Olive Stampin’ Write Marker, Big Shot, Top Note die, Lots of Tags Sizzlits, Stampin Sponges, Stampin Dimensionals

This card was inspired by a card I found last week while blurfing (blog surfing) the other day I came across the blog of Judy May who graciously permitted me to case her card.

I do hope you like this card as much as I do and thanks to Judy for letting me case her card.

Now dont forget to pop back on Saturday for the ESAD Christmas in July Blog hop – I’ve seen one of the other creations for this and they are just stunning and you wont want to miss out!

So this is what the girls made today as their make n take …

How sweet are these cards?

They are so so quick and easy to make. Its also a great way to use up some of that Designer Series Paper that you have in your stash. Actually the ones we made today used the 6×6 paper sheets from the Patterns Pack II Level 1 Hostess Gift. I also used the awesome Stampin Up! Notecards that come 20 to a pack with envelopes for just $9.50!  What a bargain!

These pads of paper are so versatile and great for card making or 6×6 layouts or matting.  In each 6×6 Patterns Pack you get and assortment of 5 colours in 60 sheets of double sided paper – and all for free – just by hosting a Workshop and qualifying for the Level 1 Hostess Benefits.

My cards above were inspired by a sweet card I received from the lovely Genelle Little which is here for your viewing pleasure ….

I met Genelle through the ESAD online forum I run for Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators from New Zealand and Australia.  Its a great group for inspiration and getting ideas from other demonstrators so if youre a demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand click on the link and join today!

Now in saying all this it doesnt mean we dont share the Christmas Joy with our friends overseas where it is winter and snowing at Christmas and this is probably why “Christmas in July” is such a fun thing here in Australia and why some of my customers have asked for ‘Christmas in July’ Stamp A Stacks.

I splurged and purchased two new Christmas stamp sets the other week – not that they are new to Australia but just new to me I am sure some of my customers are over the cards I did last year with Snow Swirled, Lovely as a Tree and Wish for Peace although I still do love those sets so you might see another one or three cards made with those over the upcoming months.

If you have been a long time visitor to my blog you will know that I love to make Christmas Cards using ‘non’ Christmas stamp sets.  This past weekend I’ve been playing with the Autumn Days stamp set from the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue and made a couple of simple and very easy Christmas cards.

How nice is this?? and so easy to make and quick too!  I’ve just used the Pine Cone stamp from Autumn Days and stamped on the base card in Versarmark to give it the watermark look – you could even clear emboss the base card too to give it a little extra lift.

The main image is the same Pine cone stamp coloured with the Stampin Write markers then stamped onto Very Vanilla Cardstock. I’ve then stamped the Merry Christmas from Teeny Tiny Sentiments down the bottom and tied a ribbon around it – easy as!!

Do you like the second one??

The only difference is I’ve stamped the sentiment in green and tied the Red Taffeta Ribbon around the card. Now this bow has no tying! Yep no tying at all – this is so easy you’ll wonder why you hadnt thought of it before!

I got this idea from my lovely friend and downline Andrea Lowcock. You simply hold your ribbon in the bow shape, open a brad and have it so the prongs are going up and down then wrap the brad prongs around the ribbon. Adjust your bow before tightening the prongs. See …. easy!!!

These cards are just so so easy to make and would make a great Christmas card and you could do a bundle of these in just one night – even in front of the Television if you’re into multitasking!

So I decided to utilise this lovely quiet time and make a couple of cards and continued on with the Christmas Theme from yesterday. Well the Christmas Classic set was still on my desk so why waste energy getting a new set out?

I remembered the pretty sketch challenge from Stamping 411 so decided to use that for my next card.

I do love to make cards from sketches as I find when I look at a sketch I can see so many cards with it whereas if I just go and pull out a stamp set to use I can deliberate for hours on colours, papers and layout.

You should give a sketch a try – use any of the ones I’ve done or just simply do a Google search on ‘sketch challenge’ and I’m sure you’ll be amazed at how many places have these challenges every week.

Here is my card ….

Recipe:

Stamps:  Christmas Classics, Baroque Motifs
Paper:  Baja Breeze, Ridinghood Red, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Ski Slope DSP
Inks:  Baja Breeze
Accessories:  Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker, Real Red Stampin’ Write Marker, More Mustard Stampin’ Write Marker, 1/4″ Chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, eyelet border punch, stampin dimensionals, snail adhesive.

This is another very quick and easy card and a great one to make for christmas as you could do a few in no time at all!

Now I think I might take this aching body back to bed for a little nap and try and get over this flu.

This week’s sketch comes from you from the lovely Carol and my sponsors this week being Nespresso, Ease a Cold (cold & flu tablets) and the makers of Ibuprofen!

Yes I’ve come down with the dreaded flu and just when the kids are due to go back to school and I have a few bookings this week so I hope I am ok to do those and not have to reschedule any.

As soon as I saw this sketch I had a few ideas running thru my head – yes it got quite noisy in there!  Now those ideas were put on the back burner as I have a “Christmas in July” stamp a stack on Monday so thought I’d go with a Christmas theme today and had to use one of my new Christmas sets – Christmas Classics … well it is new to me!

Here is my card …

This is a simple and ‘easy to put together’ Christmas Card with minimal colouring but colouring those baubles is so easy and they turn out so nice dont they?

I still have some of the gorgeous Ski Slope Designer Series Paper from last year’s Summer Mini Catalogue and I so so love these colours together. I should just have enough for Monday’s Stamp A Stack too.

I do hope you like my little card and now its time for you to skip along to the next Sketchy Saturday Diva being the lovely Ruthie B. So pop over to Ruthie’s blog to see what she has created.

Now if you get to a blog that hasnt got their challenge card up then you can view all those in the Sketch Design Team at the Utah Divas International Blog.

This month we have a swap for a Technique Book which I’m a part of.  All the participants had to choose a technique different to the other participants and make up an instruction and sample page for each participant. So I had to make 12 instructions & samples for this swap and the technique I chose was Collage Stamping.

I love doing Collage Stamping as you can make it your own and create lovely effects and it gives the look of your very own designer series paper.  Now while I was making my samples the other day one of my daughter’s friends was staying over and she asked why I was putting butterflies on the patterned paper – I then explained what I was doing and that I’d stamped all the images on the cardstock myself.  She then exclaimed “Wow how cool!!”  Now this does boost one’s self esteem to no end!

Here is the sample I made for the swap ….

After deliberating for what seemed like days on what set and style to make I decided on this gorgeous “All a Flutter” stamp as the main focus and then popped in some flower stems, leaves and script.

I really do love the final sample and I do love that butterfly!

I’ve coloured my piece using the Stampin Pastels. I love the soft muted tones you can get with the Pastels and they also blend so well!  Now to ensure that the Pastels dont keep rubbing off I’ve given them a light spray with my hairspray.  This just helps to set and protect your artwork from rubbing off.  You dont need an expensive fixative – just the  cheapest hairspray does the trick.

Now as part of the swap we also had to make one card or project using our technique so I thought I’d use my sample and do one of the challenges from the Cards and Things Challenges Blog run by the lovely Krista Driessen.

Here’s my card …

I love how this turned out and I’ve added another butterfly over the top of one to give it more dimension and make it that extra little bit special.

Recipe:
Stamps: All a Flutter, Organic Grace, En Francais
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Blush Blossom
Inks: Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Mellow Moss, Versamark
Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die, Circle Scissor Plus, Stampin’ Pastels, Sponge Daubers, Crimper

Here’s a close up of the layered butterfly …

Starting September I will be starting new Technique Classes so if you’d like to book your spot please email me today.

The previous sets I’ve made were the one’s done for our Sale A Bration Spectacular and ESAD Blog Hop with the Rose is a Rose stamp set which can be found here.  I also made some very quick and easy notecards using the Thoughts and Prayers set which you can see here.

Now just recently I participated in the ESAD Secret Stampin Sister Swap and I thought about what to make and one of my sister’s friends said she loves the Pocket Silhouettes and didnt have that set. So in the last month in the Swap you send 2 cards, a handmade gift and a gift to the value of $30 so I ordered the Pocket Silhouettes set for her.  Then I wanted to make something using Pocket Silhouettes (my set not her new one!) so then my mind drifted off to the Notecards and I thought why not. I also thought I’d give some of our retiring subtle colours a bit of a last ‘hurrah’ so to speak.

This is the box I designed to pop the notecards into.  Its funny where you get inspiration from as the inspiration for this box came from and skin care sampler kit. One of those lightbulb moments! The paper I’ve used on the box is from Bella Rose Designer Series Paper pack.

These are the cards and envelopes that I made to put in the box … there were 6 in total with envelopes.

I love the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set as it has 4 different flower/leaf stamps plus two greetings and all for just $33.95 so it makes a very cost effect purchase and you can use this set for masculine, arty or feminine cards.  As my good friend Libby says … Your creativeness is only limited by your imagination.

Special Offer #1

Now as a special offer to all my lovely friends who read my blog if you purchase the Pocket Silhouettes and the Notecards from me before 31st July I will also give you the template for this gift box.

Special Offer #2

Now if you’re thinking that you spend too much money on stamps and accessories then have you considered joining the Stampin’ Up! family?  Why would you want to do that? Well as a Stampin Up! Demonstrator you get a 20% discount on everything you order.

Wait!! Thats not all! (sorry couldnt resist!)

If you place your first order withing 45 days from the date you joined then you get a bonus 10% discount – so place your first order within 45 days and you get 30% off that first order! Sweet hey?

Wait!  Thats not all!!

If you join now you will receive the new 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue for free and one month before it is officially released.  You would also then be able to order a month before it is released from the pre-order selection.

Wait … thats not all!

Until 31st July you only pay $259 for your Stampin’ Up! kit – thats 20% off or a saving of $65!!  The kit is regularly $324 so look at all the money you’ll be saving – see and this means you can get more from the new Idea Book & Catalogue!  The kit includes stamps, inks, cardstock, accessories and business tools all valued at over $560 – so its a win/win deal for you!

Also, if you sign up with me before 31st July not only do you get all these goodies and a hugely discounted price but you can also select either a Stamp-a-majig or the gorgeous Pocket Silhouettes stamp set as a free bonus from me – so now you will just under $600 worth of products for just $259!

Email or Ring me today to ask any questions you might have or to arrange your free no obligation information pack.

You can even sign up online via my Demonstrator Website so there’s no pesky paperwork to fill out and post off – wow I’ve just saved you another 60 cents!

I am happy to report that Tess has now been shopping and has a lovely Gift Bag with a present inside for her friend.

It lifts the card a little dont you think? and who wants to visit a friend on their birthday without a little something in a gift bag?

The gift bag is simply a small piece of Designer Series Paper with some white tissue paper scrunched up and sticking out the top.  The handle was created using the Word Window punch.

Hope you like my little addition

After deliberating for what seemed like hours (which was really about 20 minutes or so) on what papers to use I finally gave in and went with the gorgeous Cottage Wall Designer Series Papers.

As much as I love the Tote-ally Tess set and ‘had’ to have her I’ve struggled to use her in cards.  So I’m challenging myself  to use Tess more so I hope you will see a few different “Tess” cards over the next few weeks.

Why dont you make a card with Tess too and pop a comment with the link to your blog post or online gallery?

This one is simply a “Birthday Tess” carrying a little cupcake. Looking at the card now I could have added a little gift bag as well – I might even still do that and send through a photo once its done.

Recipe:

Stamps: Tote-ally Tess, Short and Sweet
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White, Cottage Wall DSP
Inks: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron, More Mustard, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Ridinghood Red, Going Gray.
Accessories: Big Shot, Lots of Tags sizzlits, White Taffeta Ribbon, Aqua Painter, Stampin Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive, Mini Glue dots.

One of my favourite ways to colour is to use my Aqua Painter and the ink pads to water colour and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the Certainly Celery top went with the Rich Razzleberry pants. 

So who’s for a cupcake?

I could go one right about now!  Why not treat yourself to one today and why not grab a Latte at the same time to wash it all down! In honour of all the birthdays we’ve had lately of course