Good Morning … and what a lovely Saturday it is – blue skies!! Yes you read that right!!

Its Saturday and that means another Utah Divas Sketch Challenge and here is this week’s sketch …

Sketch #174

I really didnt want to do hearts or valentines and I wanted to use some stamps that I earned for free from the recent Bookathon Demonstrators took part in and this is what I came up with …

Topsy-Turvy Birthday

Recipe
Stamps: Topsy-Turvy Celebrations (Summer Mini)
Paper:  Peach Parfait, Whisper White, Regal Rose, Flirtatious DSP
Ink: Peach Parfait, Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight
Accessories:  Stampamajig, Stampin Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.

I just love this cake!! It’s a wee bit funky isnt it??

It makes for a very cute card and it must be ok as my nearly 15yo daughter gave it her ‘squeal of approval‘!

This card is fun and quite easy to make and I’d love to show you how at your workshop – all you need is a few friends and the desire to have a lot of fun!  Contact me today to book your workshop in and start earning free stamps with Sale•a•bration and more when you have a qualifying workshop!

Be sure to check out the Utah Divas Blog for all the other gorgeous creations created by the Saturday Sketch Challenge Design team!

Good Morning and welcome to another Festive Friday Challenge!

Now with all the rushing I had to do in December to be ready for Christmas I am working on the theory that its never to early to start planning for Christmas!  So when Nicole asked me to join her Festive Friday Design Team I just jumped at the chance cos I really do need all the help I can get!

So for this week’s challenge I created my Christmas Planner – it was also a great way to use up some of the leftover ‘Letters to Santa’ Designer Series Paper pack!

Christmas Planner

Santa fits rather nicely on the front dont you think?  I even used the ‘naughty or nice’ image on my belly band that holds it all together to keep the image on the right spot when its all closed up.

So lets open up the planner ….

I’ve slid the belly band off and opened the front to reveal out little ‘petite pocket’ to house all our receipts we need for all the gifts for Christmas – this way you’ll know exactly where to find the receipt when those board shorts dont fit the nephew or that cardy just is not Granny’s colour!

Here we have the planner completely open. I also used the Letters to Santa Accents to decorate my pockets and pop the labels on.  I’ve got little lists in each pocket for Gift Ideas, Christmas Card List, and a Gift List.  Its a good idea to start your Christmas Card list early so you know how many you’ll need to send out at Christmas and then we can do a few each month so we arent in a tizzy 2 weeks before Christmas cos you dont have enough cards!  A little like me last December!!

I do hope you like my little planner and if you’d like to purchase the tutorial then please click on the paypal link below and the file will be sent to you.

Be sure to pop over to Nicole’s blog to check out what the other girls have created for this week’s challenge and to play along!

Everyone needs a little Kindness dont you think and yes it matters!!

Have you noticed the Kindness Matters stamp set?? its on page 71 of the Stampin’ Up! Idea Book and Catalogue (AU/NZ) – it is just the sweetest little set with three lovely butterflies, two sentiments and two little motif/decal images – its just gorgeousness in a box for just $22.95 (wood)!

Here’s a card I made to go with the Kindness Matters mini album I shared last week …

Recipe
Stamps: Kindness Matters, Creative Elements
Paper: Beau Chateau DSP, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Marina Mist, Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Big Shot, Designer Frames Embossing folder set, Lots of Tags Sizzlits, Pearl Jewels, Stampin Dimensionals, Stampin Sponges, Marina Mist Satin Ribbon

How sweet did this card turn out – I just love it!! The Kindness Matters goes so so well with the Beau Chateau DSP!

I hope you like this card as much as I do and if you’d like to see how to make this card or any others I have shared here on my blog then please feel free to contact me to arrange a demonstration.  Now is the perfect time to be a Hostess as you not only get all the gorgeous Hostess Benefits but you also get free Sale•a•bration sets as well!  You’ll need to be quick as I only have a couple of spots left for February!

Are you ….

• new to Stamping?
• a Beginner Stamper
• recently reignited your passion for stamping
• A Stamper who wants to learn the basics
• A stamper who has learnt the basics and wants more
• A Stamper or Scrapbooker who wants to purchase their supplies at a discount
• a Stamper in love with Stampin’ Up! products
• someone who’d love to purchase a beginner Stamping Kit at a discount & earn free stamps

If you said “yes” to any of these then have you thought about purchasing the Stampin Up Starter Kit?

Morning all!!

I’m busy finishing off some wedding samples for a customer who’s coming to view them this afternoon – so hard working out pricing as I dont want to charge too much yet at the same time dont want to rip myself off for my work and time!

Its another Saturday – last Saturday of our school holidays here before the girls embark on a new year of schooling and with my youngest starting High School it is a bitter sweet time for me but glad they’ll both be in the same school now so wont need to worry if one is running late on the bus or not!

Being Saturday that means its time for another Utah Divas Sketch Challenge and here is this week’s sketch …

Diva Sketch 173

Easy enough … and look no rotating or anything …

So Sweet!

Recipe
Stamps: Up in the Air (Hostess – Summer Mini), Charming (Summer Mini)
Paper: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Subtles Paper Stack
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Bashful Blue, Peach Parfait, Regal Rose, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Scallop border punch, Saleabration Organza ribbon, stampin write markers, rhinestone jewels.

How pretty and ‘springy’ is this card??  and what’s a ‘spring’ card without butterflies??

I love how this turned out and it seriously came about in like 25 minutes – must be one of my quickest sketch cards ever!!  This will be one of the cards for our next Stamp A Stack so if you’d like to make a couple of these be sure to book your spot for the 11th February!

Now be sure to hop over to the Utah Divas Blog and see what lovelies the other Designing Divas have got up to this week!

Wow is all I can say and thank you so much for all the gorgeous comments about my Enchanted Album I shared for the ESAD Sale•a•bration Blog Hop.

Recently we ran a Secret Stampin Sister swap within our ESAD group and I made that same album for my sister using Beau Chateau Designer Series Papers and the Kindness Matters Stamp set

Kindness Album

Those little butterflies from the Kindness Matters fit perfectly into the frame on the Beau Chateau Designer paper dont you think?

I am so in-love with these papers and the colour combinations and the ‘vintage-ness’ of the papers.  The greeting on this little pocket is from the Happiness Shared stamp set – sorry its hard to see.

The blue and soft suede seem to go so well together as well … not sure if you can see them in the photo but I have staggered those tiny pearls within the image stamped on the base page.  The flourish image comes from the Creative Elements stamp set.

I have had such a dilemma using these two pieces of paper but they seem to fit well with this double page spread.  Roosters and wire and the flowers in the rooster paper are on the memories paper but larger so they were perfect to cut out and layer on here with the ‘Memories’ word cut out.  A nice pocket for putting in some journalling or thoughts. Or maybe pop a journalling box on the left page and slot a few photo’s into the pocket – you decide!

Border with 'Pearls and Lace'

I love the simplicity of this page! The design is busy enough and if you added too much more it would be too much. So a simply border using the Lace Ribbon Border punch and some of our gorgeous adhesive pearl jewels.  So feminine and so very vintage.

I do hope you like this version of my little album and I do so hope that my sister liked it too!  I will be making a tutorial for this album so stay tuned for that!

Thanks for stoppin by

Good morning and welcome to the ESAD Sale•a•Bration Blog Hop

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for “Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators” and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators.

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 it is 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.

You should have arrived here from Jacinta’s Blog but dont stress if you havent – just keep going till you get back to me!

Now onto my project ….

Enchanted Mini Album

I am a little bit excited about sharing this album today – not just because of the gorgeous Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper  and the Vintage Foliage Sale•a•bration sets, or that you can get both of those for free during Sale•a•bration but also cos this little mini album is the first one I’ve designed myself!

If you have a close look on the above picture you may see the little danglies I created with the ribbon & brad pack which is also available through Sale•a•bration!  Here’s a close-up for you …

I’ve just taken a brad and bent back the backs and tied the ribbon around the backs – cute hey?

Now lets open the album ….

I love this paper!!  I love how the paper matches the Stamp set perfectly and how Stampin’ Up! use their own colours to make it easy for us to match cardstock, inks and ribbons!  The sentiment on the right page is from the Summer Solstice stamp set.

Here I’ve popped in a photo matt on the left and a couple tags on the right for journalling.  I’ve popped a simple slit in the centre of the right page to slot the tags into.  I’ve used the Vanilla Satin ribbon with a piece of the pool party ruffled ribbon on top and embellished that with a couple of the brads from the Sale•a•bration Ribbon & Brad pack.

Full view of tags

I can see how very versatile this stamp set is going to be – from main images like the one on the front cover to backgrounds and borders! I used the same stamp on the tabs of the tags!

Same stamp again on the matt and the sentiment on the right as is used in this sheet of the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper. Sentiment on the right is from the Hostess Stamp set Faith in Nature which you earn for free just by holding a Stampin’ Up! demonstration.

For the final pages I’ve just popped on two mats with coordinating ruffled ribbon.  You could used these for putting on a single photo, a collage of photo’s or some journaling – whatever you wish!

I do hope you like my little album and if you’d like to make this at a class please let me know as I’ll be scheduling them during February & March.

Now to continue on the blog hop you need to hop over to Alisa’s lovely blog and see what gorgeousness she has creating for your view pleasure

In case there are some broken links along the way here is a complete list of all the lovely ESAD ladies involved in the blog hop – now dont forget to leave the girls some comment love as well.

• Sherylee Tutt
•  Juliette Chapman
•  Alison Barclay
•  Corina Beyer
•  Christie Kunkel
• Jane Norrish
• Nicole Derendorf
• Jacinta Argent
• Leonie Schroder – you are here!!
• Alisa Tilsner
• Keryn Campbell
• Sharlene Meyer
• Madonna Dunn
• Joanne Kechagias
• Pauline Bennetts
• Monique Fielder
• Bron Heslop
• Felicity Fernandez
• Michelle Grech  
• Kelly Nelson
• Louise Layton
• Yvonne Walker
• Kathryn Ruddick

Hope you enjoy all the lovely goodies you see through the blog hop and if you wish to book your own demonstration or place an order please dont hesitate to contact me – as a special bonus for all ‘hoppers’ I am offering free postage on all orders of $100 or more from today to 31st January, 2012.

Its that time of the year again where Stampin’ Up! rewards everyone for their loyalty and shopping with free products!!

Want free products??

Here’s how ….

Place an order

Host a Party

Join my team!

Contact me today for more information – or click the link in the sidebar on the left to view the catalogue online!

Yes its Saturday and time for another Utah Divas Sketch Challenge and I do hope the other sketchy Divas had a great time at Leadership in Utah!

I am feeling a bit weary this afternoon after hitting the shops this morning to do the ‘back to school’ shopping … Uniforms, Shoes, Back Packs, Books, Pens, Pencils, etc – the list seems to get longer and longer each year!  My poor body is starting to seize up so I’ll take some meds and go rest up a bit after I finish this post.

Here is this week’s sketch ….

simple enough hey?? well i had a sneak peek at what the other girls made and wanted to do something a little different – so unlike me isnt it?? well you will be surprised to know that I rotated the sketch (is that you I can hear gasping??) and here is what I made …

Recipe
Stamps: Easy Events, Tiny Tags, You’re Cherished
Inks: Jet Black Stazon, Pear Pizzaz, Pool Party, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Crumb Cake, Old Olive
Paper: Whisper White, Pool Party, Early Espresso, Spice Cake DSP (Summer Mini)
Accessories: 1/8″ White Taffeta ribbon, Whisper White Bakers Twine, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch, Modern Label Punch, Vintage Trinkets, sponges, aqua painter, stampin dimensionals

When I rotated the sketch all I could see is the sweet little grandfather clock from Easy Events – yes I used that set again!!  I did tell you that you’d see a few things made with it didnt I??

I do hope you like what I’ve made this week and be sure you pop over to the Utah Divas International Blog and see what the other girls have made.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Good Morning!!

Well today is the first day I’m up with the Festive Friday Challenge which has been started by the lovely Nicole Derendorf.

Each Friday the design team will share a Festive card for the challenge to inspire you into creating card for Christmas and all those Festive occasions that happen during the year and this week it is Valentine’s Day!

Now remember the other day I said I’d have more from Easy Events??  Here is my card for today’s Festive Friday Challenge …

It’s amazing what you can do with just one of those little stamps!!

As soon as Nicole asked for Valentine’s well I knew what stamp I wanted to use – I love that little tree!

Now you know how all crafters say there is no such thing as a mistake and its just a creative licence?  well see my little banner? thats one of those ‘creative licences’!  I had stamped the image crooked and after all that spongeing I just about cried! So I just redid the greeting on a scrap of paper (this way it doesnt matter if it’s crooked cos I can cut it out and make it straight!) and turned it into a banner and used glue dots to position it to not only cover my mistake but to also give it the wavy/wind blown look

Now I wanted to make this card a little special so I can use it for Valentine’s Day for hubby and came across an idea online and once I saw it I thought yes this lady will have a template … but no – her sight was in some foreign language I’d never seen before so I just made my own using Microsoft Word and here’s the inside ….

Cute hey??  Took a bit of fiddling but finally worked it all out and I must say I do like this card!

Want to know more about the Festive Friday Challenge? here’s how it works.

1. Choose a card or project that inspires you
2. Create your own Project
3. Load your project online somewhere and mention who on my design team inspired you
4. Link your project to the Festive Friday Challenge on Nicole’s blog.
5. Links close Thursday January 26th at 10am.  Winners will be posted with Next Week’s challenge.

I hope you like my little card and it inspires you to create and enter the challenge.  This is a fun new challenge so make sure you pop back each week to see what we’ve been creating to inspire you and who knows you might have all your Christmas cards done before December this year!