Happy Easter

Just popping in to wish you all a Very Happy Easter.  At the moment, I have children playing with toys and/or their Easter Eggs.  Jessica especially!!  She keeps sneaking off and hiding into corners eating more and more chocolate.....  As for me I'm currently surrounded by three computers as I continue to sort out our computer chaos!! 

As for me, I wanted to share a few of the Easter Cards I sent to my family this year.  All of them use different forms of punch art.


I just love this card.  It's actually the inside of the card showing a cute little bunny poking its head through the hole....


Bunny bottoms are so adorable with their little tails!!


Another cute little bunny.  Again all using simple punch art designs.


Easter chicks hatching out of their eggs.  Eggs were made using the oval punch and cutting a zig-zag pattern across.


I'll be back tomorrow with a final presentation of my Easter art for 2013.

So I hope you and your family are enjoying your day too.  I love Easter for all its traditions!

Clearance Blitz is Back

 
It's back!!  For four days only, Stampin' Up! is temporarily taking products out of retirement and putting them on sale with discounts up to 60 percent off retail. Click here to see what's on sale!

Promotion Dates: Thursday, 28 March - Sunday, 31 March, 2013.
The Fine Print:
  • You can only order these products through me. (You can't order these clearance rack items on an online order).
  • There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this special offer.
  • Clearance Rack Blitz items are only available while supplies last - so shop early!
  • Sorry, but there are no refunds or exchanges on Clearance Rack Blitz items.

Click on  last year's catalogues to reference information about the products that are on sale:

 

My Digital Studio is here!

It's here! We can't contain our excitement anymore. My Digital Studio is now available.  My Digital Studio is available to download right here in Australia.




This is a fabulous software program for your computer which allows you to use digital content, exclusive to Stampin' Up! to design digital scrapbook pages, cards, banners, printables and more.  And yes, it works with both Windows and Apple MAC.

Download the FREE 30 day full program trial HERE. After the 30 day trial, the cost will just be $24.95 to purchase the program.  And the news keeps getting better ....

You can purchase individual elements for immediate download from My Stampin Up Online Store starting at just $1.50!

Over the next few weeks, keep checking back as I too learn all that MDS has to offer and I can share with you. 
So what are you waiting for? Go download the free trial by clicking on the buttton below and have a play!



Easter Boxes

OK, back to stamping and paper projects!!  Last month I shared the 'tissue box' card we made at our last Avid Inkers meeting.  Well finally I have found a moment to share the second project we made as we start heading towards Easter!  It's such a cute little project!





Ta Da!!  We made these cute little matchboxes, appropriately decorated for Easter!  Oh I wish I wish I had a die to cut these little boxes.  Imagine how many you could make quickly!!


I used the Sycamore Street papers from Sale-a-Bration as my feature paper and of course, matched it perfectly with Summer Starfruit as my box base.  Touches of Island Indigo and Tangerine Tango to match!!

I only had a stash of M&Ms to put in my Easter box.  Of course, it didn't take long for Jessica to find them, so they're only a few left!!



And because I love you all, I've also got the instructions for you too, so you can make along with me!!

Our project inspiration - courtesy of Annette McMillan (Avid Inkers)
 Supplies:
Cardstock in bright colour: 6 ¼ “ X 2 5/8 “; and 5 ¼ “ X 4 5/8 “ plus scrap for punching
Co-ordinating DSP 2” X 2 5/8 “
Acetate 2” X 2 5/8”  
Small scraps of coordinating card/DSP for punching
Wide oval, word window, scallop ribbon and itty bitty shapes punch (4 petal)
Pearls
Paper cutter with scoring blade

  1. Use oval frame to emboss DSP.
  2. Punch centre of frame with wide oval. 
  3. Place pencil mark on wide panel of box cover and punch wide oval so that it is in line with oval in DSP.
  4. Stamp greeting on scrap and punch with word window.  Punch 2 strips of scalloped ribbon and adhere to back of word window.
  5. Adhere DSP to front of punched panel in box cover and adhere acetate to back of the same panel.
  6. Adhere greeting across “window”
  7. Use bone to fold score lines and adhere narrow strip inside 5/8” strip to form box cover.
  8. Score box on all sides at 5/8 “ and 1 5/16”.
  9. Crease on score lines using bone then cut out tabs as per template.
  10. Stick tabs inside long sides then stick long sides down, then short sides.
  11. Punch 6 itty bitty flower shapes and stick together to form 3 flowers. 
  12. Attach a pearl to centre of each flower and adhere to front of box cover. 






St Patrick's

Well it was St Patrick's Day on Sunday and what a coincidence!  It just happened to be on the same day as our monthly craft day at Nellie Hall. 


So of course I put it out there for all the girls to wear green (one did), to bring something green to eat (I did) and to make something green.  A few of us did!!  But I did remember to make a little something to give to all the girls.  I was going to pick the clovers that were at the Hall but forgot that too.  Some days!!


So here's what I made for the girls, after all, you can never say no to chocolate!!



And chocolate bars made pretty, well who can say no to that!!  I used some SAB papers from 2012 and used my So Happy for You stamp set also from last year.  Some green twine, some punches and it was done.  All the girls loved it too.


And really, what more can you ask for!!

And a little Irish Blessing for you too:

May your pockets be heavy
May your heart be light
May good luck pursue you
Both day and night

xx

Crochet - Ripple

It's no secret I love to craft. It's no secret I have many unfinished projects. It's also no secret I have a craft supply ahem stash. Maybe a big stash nice collection.   So when I decided to join in on the Ripple-along hosted by One Crafty Mumma, I thought hurrah.  This was the chance to do some crochet, serious crochet!

I learned to crochet back in the far-gone days of May 2010, when the thought of making baby blankets, baby clothes and washers was going to be more than my dream.  Don't get me wrong, I have done lots of crochet.  Just nothing big or in time for baby Jessica to wear.  So the Ripple along was a great opportunity to make the Attic24 Ripple rug that I love!

So now it's the end of Week 3.  Hmm with only a few rows to show.  Not because I don't want to.  Because I'm stuck!  I was hoping to blog weekly my progress, but I've almost come to a grinding halt!  Noooooooooooooooo!!!

I've almost run out of wool.  When I started, I thought, that won't be a problem.  I had bought them from Spotlight.  It was a Paton's brand.  I'll get some more.  No.  Nope.  Nil.  Nada.  My local (not so local really, 45 min drive) no longer had them.  So I'm at a cross road.  What do I do now?

 
So I've got my labels (thank goodness I saved them).  I'm now on eBay and online web-stores trying to get the best deals for the closest match in dye runs and colour lots.

So anyway that's my story of my Crochet Ripple-along.  I'm down but not out.  Just running behind (not entirely a new experience for me!!).  So fingers crossed I get the balls of wool I need so I can keep crocheting!!

 And for those wondering why this blog post isn't about stamping and papercraft (as per regular programming), the moral of my story is - never stop adding to your stash.  You can NEVER have enough!!!!

Reverse Masking

So there's been a lot of buzz on Pinterest and the world of blogs with the trusty but true technique of Reverse Masking.  So of course, I pinned the link and had to have a go myself!

 This card was a lot of fun to make.  Not only did I have to pull out the Big Shot to make the Butterfly mask, I also made a mix of Rubbing Alcohol and Rose Red Ink Refill to make a spray on mix for colour.  Messy but not if you put down scrap paper and lots of fun!


The Stampin' Spritzer bottles make it so easier to add depth to your colour!!


I also combined this card with the Oh Hello stamp set, one of my favourites from the new Seasonal Catalogue which I've stamped in Soft Suede ink.  I've also used Soft Suede for my script background on the butterfly.  A little heart punched from Basic Black CS and some pearls, my card is complete!  I've layered the Image onto a Whisper White base to give more structure to the card.  So want to join in on the fun for this technique: well keep on reading for your video link!!

Reverse Masking Technique

Brandi Barnard from the Stampin' Up! home office takes us through the "Reverse Masking" process while making the Butterfly Card. Enjoy this “techniques and training” video!



Here are the supplies used for this beautiful and fast project:

  • Big Shot Die-Cut Machine #113439
  • Beautiful Butterflies Stampin' Up! Bigz Die #114507
  • Whisper White 8-1/2X11 card stock cut in half #100730
  • Stampin' Spritzer #126185 filled with rubbing alcohol and Pool Party ink
  • En Francais background stamp #109521 inked with Island Indigo
  • Basic Pearls Jewel Accents #119247
  • Heart form Owl Punch #118074
  • sticky notes


Go for gold!

Firstly I would like to apologise for my absence this week.  My beloved little dog Jack passed away on Tuesday last week.  We've been so heartbroken that it was difficult to blog projects and talking upbeat when we were just so sad.  And then I've just returned from a weekend in Melbourne catching up with my family and friends, oh and sharing Stampin' Up! too.  I'm becoming an expert at packing for workshops and parties, remembering to not put my scissors on the on-board luggage!

So today I wanted to share a beautiful project I found on the Stampin' Up! blog and I think it's just perfect for Easter.  So much so, I'm heading to the craft shops tomorrow to get me some eggs!!

Image Source: http://www.stampinup.com/home/blog-post/corporate-blog/2013/03/08/go-for-the-gold  
These eggs are just beautiful and I want to just make them myself!!  Please note this picture of the golden eggs are taken directly from the Stampin' Up! home blog and can be located by clicking on this link.  And just think, they were craft eggs, coated in spray adhesive and then rolled in Champagne Glass Stampin' Glitter.  A perfect project for Easter.

So thanks for visiting and apologies for my absence.  I'll be back over the next few days with lots of projects to share.

Papaya Collage Stamp Class



Join us for an afternoon of fun and creativity at Nellie Hall in Melba, where you will make five beautiful cards using the Papaya Collage and Memorable Moments stamp sets! 



Date:            Sunday 14 April 2013

Time:           1pm to 4pm

Location:     Nellie Melba Hall, Chinner Crescent, Melba 

Cost:            Refer to the options most suited to you!

Option A: $110* (both clear mount stamp sets included)#
Option B: $70* (either clear mount stamp set included)#
Option C: $30* (class only)

All supplies are included except for adhesives
*Price includes a light afternoon tea
#wood mount stamp sets $10 more per set

To reserve your seat call or email me to arrange payment by 1 April 2013


Special Offer: 

If you book your place for Option A and make payment before 20 March - receive a free Sale-a-Bration product of your choice! 

Click here for your flyer


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