Sketch Challenge - SC317

One of the lovely things about Stampin' Up! is the community you join and the friendships you make.  I'm part of a wonderful team called Avid Inkers.  This year we've decided to make it a bit more social and a bit more challenging, with more creations, challenges and swaps.  One of the challenges for this month was a Sketch Challenge from Splitcoast Stampers.  A great place to go to if you're looking for ideas and inspiration.

I find sketch challenges quite difficult actually especially if you stick purely to the design.  Such as this one which was our challenge for the month:

 

I've taken a little bit of liberty with my one, by moving the '4-b' strip and using a stamped image for '4-a'.  The rest of the elements are true to the sketch (I think!!).  Although you might note I have used this sketch on a 'landscape card' layout:

I've sponged Champer Shimmer Paint over the top of the tree and on the edges of that piece of cardstock.  Unfortunately you can't see it in the photo, but it's real pretty and sparkly!!  I've also sponged Baja Breeze around the backing piece of DSP.  I've folded a smaller piece of DSP to make a banner for the sentiment too!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Love Defined & Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Inks: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip & Concord Crush
Papers: Early Espresso, Soft Suede & Very Vanilla CS, Elegant Soiree DSP
Other: Champagne Shimmer Paint, Word Window Punch, Small Heart Punch, Crochet thread & Pearls.

So if you're looking for inspiration, head on over to Splitcoast Stampers!

Treat Cups

Okay, now those that know me well, also know that I am rarely far from my computer - my emails, my website, my facebook and my blog.  But school holidays and summer colds have well and truly kept me busy.  I think I've been doing nothing else but wiping noses and bottoms.  In no particular order ... just whichever one needs fixing first!!  My big boy Luke brought home a sniffle and sore throat home from his week in Melbourne, which was promptly shared with Jessica, then Matthew and finally me!  I love to share ... but this is ridiculous!!!  Anyway, summer colds - what an oxymoron!!

Anyway, I'm back to show you a little card I made with my goodies from the Sweethearts promotion Stampin' Up! recently had!!  It's a cute project, but a little fiddly. 

For really good instructions (and a bonus video) on how to make cards using the Treat Cups, head on over to Dawn's Stamping Studio.  You'll be glad you did!

Here's what I used:


Stamps: Sweetheart
Papers: Pretty in Pink, Riding Hood Red & Whisper White CS
Inks: Pear Pizzazz & Cherry Cobbler
Other: Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, Heart & Circle Punch, button & thread, and dew drops

I'm going to give this card to one of my boys (yes I'll have to make one more first) - they'll just love the smarties inside!!

Now I had better go and find a tissue ...... achoo ......

Colouring-in

With three kids, I get to spend a lot of time with colouring-in books and textas.  Usually in places like doctor's waiting rooms, restaurants and airports while trying to keep kids amused and relatively quiet!!  Yes, I've learned over the years to always keep paper and pens handy for kids!

But I do have to admit, it's nice to have some 'me time' colouring-in, when I get to colour-in what I want!  And I love all techniques (the ones I've discovered so far ....) such as watercolour pencils, watercolour crayons, Stampin' Up! blender pens with ink pads, Stampin' Write Markers and even Copics.  So here are a few of my most recent 'colour-ins'!

My little fairy is a Tilda stamp that I was kindly given.  I've used watercolour pencils and used my Aqua Painter brushes to give the watercolour effect.

Here's what I used:
Inks: Black StazOn
Papers: Shimmery White Cardstock, Old Olive, Pixie Pink (retired) & Tempting Turquoise CS
Other: Circle Punch, Yellow paper flowers, Basic Jewels, Aqua Painters & Watercolour pencils
Big Shot: Little Leaves Die

For this card I've used my Turtle stamp from Stampin' Bella that I've had for some time now and never used (oops, hang my head in shame) and coloured it in with Copics.  I'm an absolute beginner with using Copics but so far so good!!


Here's what I used:
Inks: Black StazOn
Papers: Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink & Whisper White CS, Elegant Soiree DSP
Other: Scallop Border Punch, Heart punch, Word Window punch, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon and Copic markers



Anyway, it's Australia Day today - so Happy Australia Day everyone!! I better go and amuse the kids.  It's going to be 37 degrees today, so we'll be having an indoor sort of day and I'll just have to close my eyes to the chaos and mess.  We're thinking of getting a pool .... on days like today, the answer is yes!

2011 Sale-a-Bration catalogue is now on!!

2011 Sale-a-Bration is here!

From 25 January 2011 to 31 March 2011, earn FREE, limited edition stamp sets you will enjoy for years to come during the Stampin' Up! annual Sale-a-Bration event!

Earning free stamps is easy! Just follow these simple steps:

SPEND: Spend $100* on Stampin' Up! products and receive a free Sale-a-Bration stamp set. There are no limits. For every $100* you spend, you earn free stamps!

HOST: Host a workshop of at least $600* and receive a free Sale-a-Bration stamp set. This is in addition to the generous hostess benefits you would normally receive!

JOIN: Join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator and receive a free stamp set (up to the value of $79.95) from any of the Stampin' Up! current catalogues!

Click here for further information or contact me to take advantage of Sale-a-Bration!

To view the online Sale-a-Bration catalogue - click here!

Valentine's ATC

One of my goals this year is to participate in more challenges, inspirations and swaps.  So today's share is my February ATC swap.  I've joined a Stamp Happy yahoo group where they regularly hold swaps.  So first thing I had to do, was find out what an ATC was!!!  I've tried an ATC swap before but they were in the shape of a dress form, so good old wikipedia helped me to discover the measurements for an ATC.  For the uninitiated, an ATC is an Artist Trading Card.  Measuring 3.5" x 2.5".

As I was too late to join the January ATC swap, I got in early and made my February ATC swap.  And of course, the theme was Valentine's Day, collage and pink hearts.  Being new to this, I think I have included all of these ingredients in my ATCs.  Here they are:

 I had to make a little pile of them which I tied up with some red & white bakers twine.  Don't they look purdie???

So I have Valentine's (check), I have a pink heart (check) and I have collage (using paper doilies!), check.  Yep, they're gonna go in the post now!!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: French Script, Love Defined & Artistic Etchings
Inks: Soft Suede & Basic Black
Papers: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla & Pretty in Pink
Other: Red Glimmer Mist, sponges, glue dots and a little green dew drop in the top corner.

Next month is a bit more challenging.  Uses elements of ting, tags, colours and themed.  Help!!

January Workshops!

I can finally post my January Stamp Class Workshop here!!  It's taken me a bit longer than I hoped *(something to do with school holidays and 3 kids!!)* but hooray, I'm almost getting back on top of things!!

So without any further ado ... this month's class is especially for Valentine's Day!  Using the new Love Defined stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalogue and the Love Letter Designer Series Papers, you can make this lovely set of cards and treat box!

For more information about my Stamp Class, please head on over to my Stamp with Me website!

For a sneak peak of February's class .... click here!

My Bonbon Hearts!!

Okay, I admit it.  I'm a closet romantic!  I love all things pink and pretty, I love Valentine's Day and yes, I love my husband and I love my family.  So yep, I'm a believer in all things romantic.  Which is why, I'm loving this time of the year with all the craftiness preparation for Valentine's Day.  I've even designed a workshop planner ... stay tuned for that one!

But today I wanted to show my Bonbon hearts that I found on the Martha Stewart website and decided they were easy enough to make.  Matthew loves them, although I think he likes the lollies inside them  more!!

I've made two so far ... that's all the lollies my boys will spare me for the moment.  Putting the lollies in add weight to the hearts when trying to take photos of them (so they hang down neatly!!).

This little pink heart uses some Regal Rose DSP (this print is retired from last year), a scallop border edge in white made with my Scallop Border punch and adorned with a butterfly and some crocheted thread.

This little bonbon uses the Love Defined set found in the new Summer Mini Catalogue and the Love Letter DSP.  Don't you just love the colours!

.... filled with as many of the red M&Ms as my kids would let me get!!  To see how to make the project, head on over to this link to the Martha Stewart website.  I truly recommend practising on scrap paper first!! I used 6" x 6" squares - but you could go bigger!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Love Defined
Papers: Regal Rose DSP (retired), Love Letters DSP, Basic Black & Very Vanilla CS
Inks: Riding Hood Red
Other: Heart punch, Scallop Border Punch, pearls, Big Shot & butterflies embosslit, ribbons, twine and glue dots!

Design with Twine!!

It's love heart theme around my house .... so for our Monthly Craft Night, I wanted a project I could make fairly easily without too much concentration (LOL) and still be able to chat a mile a minute, as it was AGES since our last craft night and catch up!!  Where did the last month go I wonder!  We think we might rename our nights to the Friday Night Widows Club as our men folk are (1) Fairly used to us girls getting together on Friday nights and (2) the men folk being home alone (or with babysitting duties as in my case!!).

So I pulled out some Divine Twine (doesn't the name just make you want to smile), a crochet hook and a pattern of sorts and these are what I came up with:

 

Of course, I had to make a whole bunch of them!!

 

They're so cute and as cute as their names .... Pink Sorbet, Caribbean and Lilac.

 

These little hearts are just the right size to use as embellishments for cards, scrap pages and gift tags.  Hmmm, now that has me thinking!!

I also made a much bigger red & white heart ... just in time for Valentine's Day!

The pattern for this heart can be found at the Royal Sisters Blog.  I don't have a pattern for the little ones, I couldn't get a pattern to suit so just adapted and changed, unraveled and started over too many times to remember!!  I then found through FB that the Wee Memories have a challenge going - Challenge #38 Design with Twine, so I've linked up and participated!!

 

Editor's Note: I've found a few good tutorials for crocheting hearts!!  Over at Skip to My Lou and Planet June.  Much better to use tutorials from experts!!

Editor's Note No. 2: I just wanted to share that I made it to the Honorable Mentions List for this challenge.  This is so exciting ... I'm doing a little happy dance as I type!! 

Stampin' Up! - Australia Flood Appeal

As flood waters continue to inundate Australia in what has been described as the worst flooding in 37 years, we express our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones and homes and to those whose lives have been changed forever. We, like so many of you, feel a compelling need to lend support to all those who have been affected.

Stampin' Up! demonstrators have a long history of making a difference in the lives of others--especially when disaster strikes and the need is greatest. Nearly two years ago, we watched another tragedy unfold in Australia. Our hearts were touched as demonstrators, customers and friends joined together in support of the Bushfire Appeal. We've done it before and we can certainly do it again!

Please join with us by supporting the Australia Flood Appeal--a cause in which Stampin' Up! will donate $2 of the retail value of sales from any stamp set (with a retail value of $30 or more) sold in Australia and New Zealand from 15 January through 15 February to the State Emergency Services in Queensland.

Contact me to place orders and Stampin' Up! will do the rest and donate for us!

Another cased card!

And here I am again with another card inspired by a talented creator.  I just love that so many others out there love Stampin' Up! as much as I do and give me lots of ideas on how to use some of the gorgeous Stampin' Up! products!  And I love being inspired!!  So here's what I made using a new favourite stamp set of mine: Growing Green. 

I used a new technique I discovered back in November .... stamping with the shimmer paints!! These shimmer paints make fantastic background images, such as the fern leafy print behind the sentiment.  It gives a faint image with a bit of glimmer perfect!!  I also coloured in my 'Baja Breeze' flowers with sponge daubers just like my November calendar page too!

So I'm finally catching up on birthday cards I need to send out this month (January).  There are quite a few!! 

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Growing Green & Well Scripted
Inks: Soft Suede & Baja Breeze
Papers: Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze and Soft Suede CS, Elegant Soiree DSP
Other: Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Champagne Mist shimmer paint & Sponge Daubers.

I've also painted the top half of the card with shimmer paint to add some sparkle.  It didn't photograph too well but it does look great in real life (thank goodness, LOL!!).  It was fun to use some techniques that I've learned previously.... would hate to see them go to waste!!  To see the original card designed by Stephanie Pike - click here

Punch Potpourri

I've been admiring a lot of cards lately, especially those I've found out in the ether world of blogs.  There are so many wonderful creations out there and amazingly talented artists, creators and designers too!  Getting inspiration from others is part of the crafting world.  Whether from blogs, websites, magazines or anywhere, you can get so many ideas to try for yourself! 

I had to make a birthday card for a dear friend of mine, so went through some of my website bookmarks and found a lovely card using the Punch Potpourri stamp set.  This stamp set is a Hostess Level 1 set that has made its way into my stash .... I'm so happy to give it a home!!

Here's what I made:

I'm so loving this colour combination of Pink Pirouette and Soft Suede.  I could use this combo all day!!  The heart got some special treatment too which you can see better in this close up:

I've coloured in the flowers with markers and the stamped a second heart onto a scrap of card and cut out some of the flowers to layer onto the focal image.  I've popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals and added some little pearls too.  You can also see the little heart in the bottom right hand corner.  I've painted it with shimmer paint to make it all sparkly!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Punch Potpourri, Baqroque Motifs and Well Scripted
Papers: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette and a scrap of Early Espresso
Inks: Pink Pirouette and Chocolate Chip, Blushing Bride & Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Markers
Other: Heart Punches, Scallop Border Punch, Champagne Mist shimmer paint, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers and Pearls

To see the original card by Teneale Williams click here for her beautiful work.

Queensland Flood Disaster

If you've been watching the news the last few days, you will also be aware of the current crisis in Queensland with all the disastrous flooding going on.  With so many of my friends and family there, our thoughts and hearts go out to all Queenslanders currently suffering.

The Make it Perfect website is running a Flood Relief Appeal Auction where you can do your bit to help those in need.  Click on the following button for more information.  Let's get together and show our support.

Back in the saddle!

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend

 .........

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

 Yep, I'm singing Gene Autry to myself as I sit here and type.  And I'm in no way a Country Music fan, but I keep thinking of this tune as I have been able to find some crafting and stamping time.  I'm creating!! Mind you, that's no small feat when it's school holidays, I have 2 boys at home and a baby girl to look after!! So yep, I'm snatching crafting time in whenever I can!!

So now that you've got this tune stuck, it's time to show some of my latest creations!!

Firstly, I've gotten into the swing of the handmade paper medallions that seem to be everywhere at the moment.  They're super easy to make and once I got my accordion-folding underway, it was easy and therapeutic actually!

It's so cool what you can do with paper folding.  For a great tutorial on making these, try the tutorial over at the MeGa Stampin Studio.  I do recommend using the hot glue gun though.  I first tried with the glue dots, but overnight the medallion and the paper disks came apart.  I also used the cute as shimmer paints to make the paper disks nice and sparkly!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Heard from the Heart
Papers: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry & Soft Suede CS, Cottage Wall DSP (retired)
Inks: Chocolate Chip
Other: Old Olive striped grosgrain ribbon, crochet thread, circle punch & Champagne Mist shimmer paint

And if you''re wondering .... the bigger medallions are easier to make than the smaller ones!!

Stamp with Me Newsletters

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To subscribe to all Stamp with Me newsletters - click here

To view the latest January 2011 newsletter - click here

Awash with Flowers

It's funny, once I crack open a stamp set ... I just can't stop using it.  And so is the case this time with the gorgeous Awash with Flowers stamp set.  Took me weeks and weeks to open it, and now it's in full use.  I always get my money's worth!!

So while I had these colour combinations scattered all over my craft table, I made a couple of birthday cards that have already been put in the post and hopefully happily received by their recipients!!  Here they are:

One of the great things about this stamp set, is it's a Two-Step Stamp set.  But if you like bending rules, then you don't have to do the two-step!!!  In the first card, I've used the bold flower stamp on its own and then in the second card, I've used the outline stamp on it's own.  Of course, you could combine the bold & outline stamps to make a great flower too, but in this case I left it as is!!  You might note that I have two-stepped the little leaves!

Here's what I used:


Stamps: Awash with Flowers & Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Inks: Old Olive, Real Red & Certainly Celery (for sponging)
Papers: Old Olive, Whisper White, Real Red CS and Cottage Wall DSP (retired)
Other: Sponge daubers, Scallop Trim Punch & Butterflies embosslit with the Big Shot

January 2011

I keep thinking to myself, it's still Christmas, it's still Christmas - so slow down and enjoy the season!  But then I look at the calendar and see it's already the 4th of January 2011 and Christmas is all but over.  In two days I take down the Christmas tree and pack it away for the year.  It doesn't help that it still feels like Christmas when my kids are playing their Christmas CDs and watching Christmas movies .... or that there is still Christmas Plum Pudding in the fridge!!

Oh well, the reality of January 2011 is here and I'm now in the swing of summer (not that the weather is behaving itself!!) and the chaos of school holidays.  So of course, I had to show you my January calendar page.  I should have it as a New Years Resolution to have the calendars shown on this little blog a bit earlier but then who am I kidding!!

So without any further ado, here it is:

 

This page uses one of my 'new' favourite stamp sets (although I am embarrassed to say that I hadn't used it until recently ....) and some bright summery colours!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Awash with Flowers
Papers: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise & Pixie Pink (retired) CS
Inks: Daffodil Delight, Pixie Pink (retired), Melon Mambo and Old Olive
Other: Big Shot & Beautiful Wings Sizzlit, Stampin' Dimensionals

Happy New Year 2011

Just popping in quickly to wish you all a Happy New Year for 2011!

Graphic sourced here

I'll be popping in again real soon with more projects, ideas and other fun stuff as we see the new year through.

In honour of my husband who claims a Scottish heritage:

Auld Lang Syne

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS