The Last Batch

I'm sneaking in with one last post to share the last batch of Christmas cards I have made for 2012.  I love making Christmas cards and each card is made with love for my family and friends.

This card was based on my designs from a little while ago at the Christmas Cards workshop.  This time I have used the Ornamental Keepsakes round bauble, stamped in Real Red, cut and trimmed with bakers twine and bling.

I have laid the bauble on a strip of Real Red cardstock, matted onto a Whisper White based embossed with the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder.  And of course, a Christmas favourite for me, on a cardbase of Old Olive cardstock.

For interest, I have adhered to the bottom of each card, little Christmas trees using the Merry Minis punches.  I have punched out one at the end of the card, which is contrasted by the paper insert inside.

So a Merry Christmas from me and to all a good night xx

12th day of Christmas

On the 12th day of Christmas my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me ..... hand made presents!!

I love making hand made gifts and for all my lovely Stampin' Up! demonstrators in my team, I made these cute little brooches.

I used the now retired Stampin' Up! Candy Cane Christmas fabrics which just so happened to cordinate with my pink & red felts I had in my stash of felt.  I used some of the Gumball Green satin stitched ribbon for leaves.

I cut out the felt flowers with the Fun Flowers Bigz L die.  Easy!!

I love these so much, I've now made myself one.  But I wanted to wish the girls in my team: Beck, Belinda, Emma, Sandy &Tanya a very Merry Christmas xx

I hope you enjoyed my 12 days of Christmas and I wish you a Merry Christmas too xx

11th day of Christmas

On the 11th Day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me ..... Christmas fun punch art!!

Christmas is for the kids, the big and the small, the old and the young, so why not have fun with your kids and make some Christmas punch art.  And the best part is, there is something yummy to eat too :)

How about a Santa treat bags filled with yummy green & red Smarties or M&Ms.  You'll need the following punches:

1 - Ornament Punch -  Beard [cut off flat around 1/4” below the ornament top)
2 - Bird Punch-Wings -  Moustache
1 - 3/8” Circle -  Nose
1 - 1 3/4" Circle   -  Face
1 - 1/2” Circle -  Pom Pom
2 - Assorted circle punches, including Owl Builder Punch  -  Eyes
1 - Wide Oval-XL  -  Hat
1 - Small Oval  -  Hat 
1 - Modern Label Punch  -  Fur on Hat 

 

 The Santa Candy Cane holder has a slight variation with the Scallop Circle Punch for the beard and the red hat with the Scallop Square punch.

Of course, we can't forget Rudolph!!  My son Luke and I made some bags of reindeer noses to hand out to his friends.  We used the Owl Builder Punch, various circle punches and the Snowflake punch.

 My friend Emma made the little Rudolph treat holder which were filled with M&Ms but attacked by Jessica my chocolate lover.  I have filled up a new bag with Jaffa's and Rudolph looks oh so cute with his googly eyes and his sparkly red nose!!

All of these items were inspired by Punch Art on Pinterest and blogs.  To find your inspiration, google Santa Punch Art, I did!

Hope you enjoyed these little treats.  I wonder what the final 12th day of Christmas will bring!!

10th Day of Christmas

On the 10th Day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me ..... Christmas Cookies!!

I love to cook at Christmas, especially Christmas baking.  And making biscuits with the kids is a great Christmas activity to share.  So I combined a gingerbread recipe with Stampin' Up!s Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps!

 My kids love to press the stamps into the biscuit dough.  We used a straw to make the holes and waited anxiously for them to cool so we could start the icing!!

While my kids and I are certainly no experts in icing with fine detail, we had a lot of fun trying and licking the sticky spoons afterwards!!

 

We used a bit of red cord to hang our biscuits on the tree .... we're a traditional sort of family.  But I'm guessing they won't stay their long.  My kids love these biscuits, as the gingerbread biscuit recipe is fairly mild!!

Ingredients:

• 150g butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, sifted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger, sifted
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
• 3 cups plain flour, sifted
• milk chocolate bits, to decorate

Royal icing

• 1 eggwhite
• 1 1/4 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 

1. Step 1
   Place butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda. Transfer to a large, heatproof bowl. Cool.
2. Step 2
   Stir in egg, ginger, mixed spice, baking powder and flour until combined. Divide dough in half. Shape into discs. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
3. Step 3
   Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease 3 baking trays. Line with baking paper. Roll 1 dough disc between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Using a 7cm gingerbread man cutter, cut shapes from dough, re-rolling dough scraps. Place, 2cm apart, on prepared trays. Repeat with remaining pastry disc.
4. Step 4
   Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 8 minutes or until just firm to touch. Stand on trays for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Step 5
   Make icing: Using a fork, beat egg white in a bowl until foamy. Gradually beat in icing sugar until combined. Stir in lemon juice. Spoon icing into a snap-lock bag. Snip off 1 corner. Decorate gingerbread men with icing and chocolate bits. Set aside for 20 minutes or until set. Serve.

Recipe source: http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/21346/gingerbread+men 

9th Day of Christmas

On the 9th Day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me ..... Christmas Tags!!

Christmas Tags are the perfect addition to any gift.  They are great for using up scraps of papers and add a personal touch to gifts, especially handmade gifts.  Today  my son Matthew and I went in to my work (I finished for the year yesterday) and handed out bags of homemade Rocky Road chocolate.  Each of the bags were accompanied with these little gift tags that I made.  Sadly I forgot to take a photo of the bags of Rocky Road with their tags, but they did look cute!

For these tags, I made use of the Ornament Punch, on scraps of Old Olive and Pear Pizzazz cardstock that I had embossed with the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder.

I added little Merry Christmas sentiments from the Mixed Medley stamp set that I had stamped in Chocolate Chip onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  Added some bling, some bakers twine and they were popped up on a back ground of Be of Good Cheer DSP and Very Vanilla card base.

A quick but really thoughtful way to finish off your gifts!

So I hope you enjoyed these tags.  I wonder what's in store for tomorrow .....

Clearance Rack Blitz - Week 2

Clearance Rack Blitz

 

Between 14 December 2012 and 21 January 2013, Stampin' Up! are temporarily taking over a hundred products out of retirement with discounts up to 70 percent off retail. Only while supplies last! We'll have four different groups of products on sale during the next month.

Week One was so successful that items sold out in days.  Contact me early with your orders :)

Click here for the flyer with all the items on sale between 21 Dec 2012 and 3 January 2013

The Fine Print

• You can order these products on any type of order. Feel free to order both Clearance Rack and non-Clearance Rack items on the same order - we're flexible like that.
• There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this special offer - go nuts!
• Qualifying Clearance Rack orders are eligible for hostess benefits. Bonus!
• You can view the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! catalogue to refresh your mind on these clearance items too. Just click on this link!
• Please note as a Stamp with Me special offer (only available through me), all orders for clearance items over $50 will not be charged any postage or handling fees. Orders under $50 will incur the $5.95 shipping and handling fee unless I can combine with other orders!
  
• Clearance Rack Blitz items are only available while supplies last for each time period they're on sale - so don't wait! Sorry, but there are no refunds or exchanges on Clearance Rack items.
• You need to take advantage of this sale before the following times on the last day of each sale period:
  • Phone: 5:20 PM (AEDT)
  • OEX: 11:50 PM (AEDT)

To make an order or you need further information, please contact me!

8th day of Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me ..... Beautiful Christmas Flowers!!

I just had to share these beautiful flowers we made the other weekend at my Stampin' Up! team Christmas break up.  These beautiful flowers were made with the Floral Frames Framelits and a Christmas-sy coloured cardstock.

I made my flower with Real Red cardstock, finished off with a beautiful Brushed Bronze button and linen thread.  I love how the embossing add so much texture and visual interest to the card (we used the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder by the way!).

My good friend Emma used Gumball Green cardstock, a cute little painted button ad you can also see some of the gorgeous Glimmer paper cut with the Snow Flurry Bigz die.  So cute!

This beautiful flower uses Cherry Cobbler cardstock and is a much deeper red then the Real Red I used, but equally beautiful.  I love it Beck!

So I hope you enjoyed these flowers.  I wonder what's in store for tomorrow .....

7th Day of Christmas

On the 7th Day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator made available to me ..... Gift Vouchers!!

The perfect gift that keeps on giving!

If you or a loved one purchases a Stamp with Me gift voucher, I'll wrap it all pretty for you.  The Stamp with Me gift voucher can be used any time over the next 12 months.

 

 

Please note: The Stamp with Me gift voucher is only redeemable through me.  And  can be for the amount you choose!

So if you're looking for ideas for Christmas gifts? Want to give a wish list to your partner, friend or family? Click on this link and make your wish list come true!!

No Peeking

I'm sneaking in with another share of cards, in-between my 12 days of Christmas!!  I just had to share some more cards I've made, this time using the 'No Peeking' stamp set.  It's so cute, I just had to use it!

 I love the little reindeer on this card.  I've used Soft Suede markers to colour the body, Chocolate Chip for the antlers and Real Red for his nose and Scarf.  I've used Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details to give the nose some sparkle!!

Both cards are on a Real Red card base and use the cute as Gumball Green stitched Satin Ribbon.  I've embossed the Whisper White CS with the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder and cut out the 'Jolly Christmas' sentiment with the ornament punch.

The little penguin is super cute too.  I've used Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie as my colours.  These are seriously cute cards!!

These cards were inspired by Julie's Japes.

6th Day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas, my Stampin' Up! demonstrator gave to me..... More cards!!  But we'll move onto something different for the seventh day!!

More cards featuring the Ornament Keepsakes stamp set and coordinating dies.  For this card, I used Gumball Green for stamping and matching ribbon.  So cute.  A little bit of bling and adhered to a piece of Whisper White CS embossed with the Holiday Frame Embossing Folder.  Love this style of card.

 Eek!! I just noticed one of the rhinestone gems have dropped off the corner of the sentiment.  Double Eek, as I've already put this one in the mail.  Mmmm, what happened to my gem!!

The next card features the Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags that I have stamped with a greeting.  I've decorated with some of the Cherry Cobbler tulle and bakers twine.  I've also used the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder for texture and Old Olive cardstock as the base.

This final card for the day also features the use of embossing folders.  I've used the Pennant Parade stamp set with Gumball Green and Early Espresso.  Added some glittery effects and a simple sentiment.  Love it.

Hope you enjoyed these cards.  I wonder what the seventh day will bring!!

Clearance Rack Blitz

Clearance Rack Blitz

 

Between 14 December 2012 and 21 January 2013, Stampin' Up! are temporarily taking over a hundred products out of retirement with discounts up to 70 percent off retail. Only while supplies last! We'll have four different groups of products on sale during the next month.

Click here for the flyer with all the items on sale between 14 and 20 December 2012

The Fine Print

• You can order these products on any type of order. Feel free to order both Clearance Rack and non-Clearance Rack items on the same order - we're flexible like that.
• There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this special offer - go nuts!
• Qualifying Clearance Rack orders are eligible for hostess benefits. Bonus!
• You can view the 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! catalogue to refresh your mind on these clearance items too. Just click on this link!
• Please note as a Stamp with Me special offer (only available through me), all orders for clearance items over $50 will not be charged any postage or handling fees. Orders under $50 will incur the $5.95 shipping and handling fee unless I can combine with other orders!
  
• Clearance Rack Blitz items are only available while supplies last for each time period they're on sale - so don't wait! Sorry, but there are no refunds or exchanges on Clearance Rack items.
• You need to take advantage of this sale before the following times on the last day of each sale period:
  • Phone: 5:20 PM (AEDT)
  • OEX: 11:50 PM (AEDT)

To make an order or you need further information, please contact me!

5th Day of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas ..... we are casing the Holiday Catalogue.

Ever get stuck for ideas on card designs?  Why not use the Stampin' Up! catalogues are your inspiration?  Just like I did for this series of cards.

(apologies for the lighting of these cards).  I've followed the technique and design of the Joyous Celebrations design on page 7 of the Holiday Catalogue.  I thought this design was just perfect for all my friends, near and far, especially far (on the other side of the world far!).

I made several of these cards.  Once you've got the Big Shot going, it's easy to make lots of the one design!

I love the Holiday Frame Embossing Folder.  Just beautiful.  You might even see it tomorrow (wink wink!!).

So here's what I used:

Stamps: Joyous Celebrations
Inks: Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso & Real Red
Papers: Whisper White CS
Other: Big Shot, Holiday Frame Embossing Folder, Rhinestone gem & Oval punch

So join me for tomorrow's edition and the last (well for a while.....) card designs before we move onto something a little different!!

4th day of Christmas

On the fourth day of Christmas ....... and I give you more cards using the wonderful products in the Holiday Mini Catalogue.  Featuring the timeless & classical 'Lovely as a Tree' stamp set.  It's funny, this set has been on my wish list ever since I joined Stampin' Up! five years ago.  But something held me back.  Maybe the price, who knows.  But this year, Stampin' Up! brought out the Lovely as a Tree set in clear mount.  And I was sold!!

 Apologies for the lighting on these cards (I had to take the photos at night time, I just ran out of daylight!!).  I combined the gorgeous fir tree stamp with the Northern Flurry Embossing Folder for another easy to make many of design!

 I've used either Wild Wasabi or a Night of Navy as the card base.  Either colour works really well.  I love the touch of bling and the classic beauty of the Merry Christmas stamp.

 You might have noticed a lot of 'banner style' adornments on my cards lately.  Banners are a great way to embellish your cards as well as using up scrap too!!

So here's what I used:

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree & Greetings of the Season
Inks: Wild Wasabi & Early Espresso
Papers: Whisper White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi & Night of Navy CS
Other: Rhinestone gem, Big Shot & Northern Flurry Embossing Folder

So join me for tomorrow's instalment.  On the 5th day .....