Up & Away

A few Sundays ago, I joined one of my lovely friends for her Up, Up & Away workshop that she held.  I met Tania through Stampin' Up! when she joined our team of stampers - Avid Inkers.  And I'm so glad she joined, as her work is just beautiful!  So when I saw this workshop, I had to do it straight away!! 

We made beautiful cards with an amazing embossing technique - Tumbled Tiles, a gift card holder and a matching Scrap Layout.  So cute!! 

These cards are way too cute to not show one by one....

So so cute!!  And the embossing technique is so clever.  It was first demonstrated to us at the Stampin' Up! convention.  It's Embossing at a WOW level!!

Love this workshop?  Well head on over to Tania's website: Inky Dayz.  You can purchase the instructions to make these cards and more at home :)

Scrapping News!!

Well, you're just not going to believe this one.  I've been doing scrapbooking.  Seriously.  Me!  Scrapbooking is something I find incredibly difficult and I usually just watch in admiration of all the beautiful scrap pages out there.  But maybe having a cute photo or starting with a smaller layout might just be the key I need!

I love the bright colours in this layout which features the 'Under the Big Top' stamp set.  It just helps that my big boy Luke is wearing the right shade of red!!

I love the little banner strung over the photo and the little flags.  They really match the layout.  And there is even texture on them using my beloved Big Shot!

So stay tuned over the next few weeks, I have lots of scrap layouts to share!!

Catching up on News.....

Can you believe it's the end of July already?  I'm not sure how that happened so quickly!!  I don't think it had anything to do with 2 weeks of school holidays and a whirlwind trip to Melbourne!  But with the end of July, it means some news on the Stampin' Up! front:

The Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue ends on Tuesday 31 July 2012

Click here to see the Catalogue

The fabulous We {heart} Hostess Promotion also finishes on 31 July 2012.

Click here for more information

But the best news is yet to come.  The new Catalogue and Holiday Mini are just around the corner.  Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at: http://www.stampwithme.com.au/32/newsletters/ to stay in touch with all the news on how to get your vary own Catalogues!

Party this Way

So I'm in Melbourne and I just have to share this little card I made for my gorgeous niece Lily who has just turned 3. It's so sweet and I can't wait to give it to her!!

This card was also inspired by Pinterest, but I had to make a few of my own little changes.  I love punch art, and this is one of those cards to grab your punches and start gluing little bits!!

I used a large circle punch for the body, a 3/4" circle punch for the head, and the owl punch for the spots and eyes of the ladybug.  I have hand-cut little antennae and drawn little dots for the eyes.  I also hand-cut the strip of grass.  Usually I would use my herb scissors that are perfect for fringing, but this time I wanted to 'shape' my tufts of grass.  I have sponged Red Riding Hood ink around the body of the bug just to give it dimension.  It's so sweet!!

I have added some hand cut banners, a chipboard number 3 and made a party this way sign with a toothpick.  I also pulled out my Pool Party ink and sponged a sky/cloud background.  I love it!!

So here's what I used:

Stamps: Party this Way
Inks: Red Riding Hood, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade
Papers: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White (textured), Real Red, Basic Black & Old Olive CS
Other: Circle Punches, Owl Punch, sponges, dimensionals, glue dots, tooth pick & scissors, stapler
Big Shot & Lattice Embossing Folder.

I told you this was cute or did I saw sweet!!

40th Birthday

It's crazy busy times around here!!  In the middle of school holidays (well they kind of ended yesterday) and the thought of returning back to normal routine on Monday, well we just had to squeeze in a trip to Melbourne to celebrate my brother's 40th.  And extra bonus, I get to catch up with extra family time too!

So, I dare not head home to Melbourne without presents and handmade cards!!  Good you imagine!  So I went searching on pinterest looking for cards that were appropriate for males, I found a really simple card.  No crazy embellishing for males.  Although I did have to add the '40' to the front!!

It's a great card for using all those strips of cardstock you had lying around but just didn't dare throw away!!  Just choose a few masculine cololurs and it's a card made easy.  These photos don't really show it very well, but I have painted the '40' with gold paint.  It looks much better in real life.  I love chipboard numbers and letters, they have to be one of the must-haves in my craft collection!

So here's what I used:


Stamps: Happiest Birthday Wishes
Inks: Soft Suede
Papers: Soft Suede, Whisper White, Pacific Point, More Mustard, Early Espresso & Cherry Cobbler
Other: Chipboard numbers, gold Smooch

Avid Inkers Christmas Extravaganza Stamp Camp

You are invited to the Avid Inkers Christmas Extravaganza Stamp Camp.  You will be making two cards, a set of tags in a holder and a favour box with a topper suitable for yummy Christmas gifts. All supplies are included except for adhesives.  

Date:      Sunday 29 July 2012

Time:      2pm to 5pm

Location: Chisholm Community Centre, 15-19 Halley Street, Chisholm  

Cost:      Option A - $65 (including Medallion stamp – wood mount) *OR

                   Option B      Class - $30* (class only)

             * price includes afternoon tea,  door prizes and lots of fun.

Special offer: Bonus instructions are included for the luminaire shown in the above photo with Option A.

Click here for the flyer

To reserve your seat call or email me to arrange payment by 25 July 2012

Christmas in July

Do you celebrate Christmas in July?  Sometimes we do, in fact last year my 40th birthday celebration dinner was a Christmas in July theme.  My family know me and they know I love Christmas, so what could be a better excuse than that to invite them all up for a Christmas in July birthday dinner!!  I wonder what Christmas in July 2012 holds in store!!

Well, anyway we have been working really hard on our annual Christmas in July Stamp Camp, and this time, it's a Christmas in July Extravaganza.  So when we made these gorgeous cards last month in Goulburn, it set the scene for our Christmas in July projects.  And there is so much more to come but you'll have to wait until tomorrow!!

This card is so amazing.  It takes the Simply Scored Tool to another dimension, just check the little red strip across the front.  It uses the Diagonal plate.  So cool!!

AND we made rosettes.  They are so pretty!!  I have adhered my rosette slightly off-centre to the middle of the medallion stamped image.  Just because I can!

This beautiful card (designed by Beck), uses the Perfect Punches set (I wish I had it now) and is just Christmas to a T!!

So here's what we used:

Stamps: Medallion & Perfect Punches
Inks: Old Olive & Riding Hood Red
Papers: Very Vanilla, Old Olive & Riding Hood Red
Other: Simply Scored Tool & Diagonal Plate, adhesives, scallop circle punch and a touch of Dazzling Diamonds

Rosettes!

The other week, we headed off to Goulburn to join the crafty group my lovely friend Beck had started.  We had such a ball and Beck inspired us with her awesome projects and ideas.  Beck's enthusiasm is amazing, so you have to drive down to Goulburn to join me :)

So we made some gorgeous Christmas cards and I used all those ideas to make my own card, but this time a birthday card!!  And you know what, once you have a Simply Scored tool, well making rosettes is easy peasy!!  You'll never look back :)

I used one of my favourite colour combinations, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla.  Very cute colours!!

Making the score lines were so easy and made folding them a dream.  Love my Simply Scoring Tool!!

I've added some bling, some ribbon and some buttons and the card is done.  Lovely.

So here's what I used:

Stamps: Medallion & Happiest Birthday Wishes
Inks: Early Espresso &; Marina Mist
Papers: Early Espresso, Baja Breeze & Very Vanilla
Other: Seam Binding, Circle Punch, Button, Crochet thread & bling

I hope you enjoy this idea.  I'll be back very soon with CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA news!!

Iris Folding!

Well my thumb is almost back in action, which means I'm trying my hardest to catch up on some crafting!! I never realised how important my left-hand thumb is to me, especially being right handed. Buttons, zips, changing nappies were a mighty challenge let alone anything creative. So imagine my relief when my thumb went from swollen and stiff to slightly swollen and gaining some movement!! So when we had Friday night Craft night I was so happy to be able to play!! And guess what! I learned something new. My lovely friend Lesley patiently taught us the technique of Iris Folding. Other than making sure I didn't cut myself with the craft knife, the rest of it went really well. So let's see what I made!! I had to make a baby boy card, so I found this cute little template and with Lesley's expert guidance, I made this:

I never realised how thick the SU Designer Series Papers were until I started making lots of folds.  Lots of them!!

But the best part of the Stampin' Up! Designer Series Papers, they perfectly coordinate with each other!!  I used the very cute Nursery Nest range for this card.

And of course, I had to embellish my little rocking horse.  I added a black pearl for the eye and decorated the rocker with faux stitching and some cute little pearl buttons I found in my stash.

To make this card, I used:

Papers: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Marina Mist CS, Nursery Nest and Subtles Patterned DSP
Inks: White Signo gel ink pen & Early Espresso Ink
Stamps: Baby Bundle
Other: Word Window punch, black pearl & buttons

Want to try this style of card-making?  Head on over to this website for further info and LOTS of templates and ideas: http://www.circleofcrafters.com/irisfolding/ 


Thanks so much Lesley for patiently teaching me :) I'll be back in the next day or so - just to show off the first card we made.  A Christmas Tree!  I just have to dig out my Christmas stamps to finish!!

Simply Scored Diagonal Plate is here!

I'm out of crafting action this week with a bruised and swollen thumb (that will teach me to shut the car door on it!!), so instead I wanted to break the news that the Simply Scored Plate is here!!

Introducing .....

If you have the Simply Scored scoring tool, well you're just going to want the coordinating Diagonal Plate to make envelopes, boxes and more!!

The all-new Simply Scored Diagonal Plate, perfect for creating envelopes, boxes and more! It’s the must-have companion to your Simply Scored scoring tool.

Item	Description	Price
125586	Simply Scored Diagonal Plate	$20.95

The Diagonal Plate Features:

• Sits on top of the Simply Scored base
• Held securely in place by rubber pads on back of the plate
• Has etched grooves every 1/8" (3.2 mm) 
• Can score any size card stock up to 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
• Includes instructions for creating common envelope sizes

Want to find out more about the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate?  Watch this video from Stampin' Up!



More info on coordinating products can be found in the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue.  Just contact me to order yours now :)

We still {heart} our hostesses!

The Reason to Smile promotion might be finished :( but our fabulous Hostess Promotion continues!!

We {heart} our hostesses!

I love my hostesses, we love our hostesses and Stampin' Up! absolutely loves our hostesses. So during July 2012, our hostesses are going to be rewarded even more!

So between 1^st and 31^st July 2012 bask in the extra $90 in FREE products you'll receive when you host a friend-filled qualifying* party that celebrates your creativity. With hundreds of innovative products to choose from, there is never been a better time to party!
To earn your extra rewards, hold a workshop with the following sales:

Your Party Sales*	Regular Hostess Benefits	Additional Hostess Dollars	Total Hostess Benefits
$650	$100 + 1 item at 50% off	$90	$190 + 1 item at 50% off
$800	$130 + 2 items at 50% off	$90	$220 + 2 items at 50% off
$1000	$160 + 3 items at 50% off	$90	$250 + 3 items at 50% off
$1250	$200 + 4 items at 50% off + 15% of amount over $1250	$90	$290 + 4 items at 50% off + 15% of amount over $1250

Ready to have fun with friends and free products? Contact me today!

Click here for the flyer with all the information you need! 

You can hold a workshop or a catalogue workshop!

*Minimum $650 party, your workshop party sales does not include shipping!