The New Catalogue is here!

Yes it did come out a couple of days ago… naughty me had to work and I’ve had two sick kids   However, it is out and it is awesome!!!  Click the picture of the catalogue on the right of the screen to check it out!

Also, there is a very exciting promotion where you can join Stampin’ Up! as a new demonstrator with a cool starter kit for only  $189 this month.  AND I went to the recent regional training where it was announced that a new stamp set from the upcoming summer mini (no I can’t show you it but it is cool) will also be given to anyone signing up under anyone who attended, before the 15th Sept.  So if you decide to sign up with me you get that too!!!!

Why Join Stampin’ Up????

Well it can be a neat little sideline earner or you can turn it into a full-time job and business, fuel your own stamping addiction or simply be a hobby demo to enjoy the discounts on products and being able to get them first!  I am also part of a really supportive wider team who have regular fun get togethers and events.  If Stampin’ Up! has ever peaked your interest then contact me to have a chat about it… I don’t bite and I won’t hassle you to join either…  if you like the opportunities available as much as I have then you will love SU so give me a bell to find out if it really is for you :)

Birthday Z fold

I love the Z fold card design.  It has to be one of my favourites.  All you do is cut a piece of A4 cardstock lenthways at 4″ then score it at 3″ and 6″ before foling into a Z configuration and covering it in all the decorated panels you want to cover it in.  In the example below I decided to use another retiree, Fun and Fast notes and the On your Birthday sentiments which is going to be available in the new catalogue still.  The colours were a challenge I put to myself, basic grey, pink piroette and very vanilla.

When folded up the front panel covers the inside panel and it all becomes a standard card size.  Have a go at a Z fold card, it is surprisingly easy!

JAI 80 Sketch Challenge

Last night I got my creative Mojo on and had a go at this Just Add Ink challenge.  You had to create something (card, 3-D) object etc that was based on the sketch above.

 

This is the card I created using the Loads of Love and Loads Of Love Accessories stamp sets and a bit of Hodge Podge.  It was great fun, if you havn’t done a challenge before, give it a go!

have a great day!

Three Times Thankfull

Well I must have been feeling in a monochrome mood yesterday when I decided to pay homage to one of my favourite stamp sets, Fresh Cut, sniff, that is, snif, RETIRING, boo hoohoo!  Thats right, retired list is out, check it here.

 All three cards have used Bravo Burgangy, Very Vanilla and Confetti Cream.  The top card has a build-a-brad in the centre which allows you to use patterned or stamped papers punched out in 1/2 inch circles to make your own embellishment.  The rest of the flower is made up of three layered up five petal flowers from the five petal flower punch.

Another technique I wanted to share was the border on the ’thank you’ oval on both the top and bottom cards.  This is a good way to put a contrasting colour around your sentiment if you don’t have a nesting punch of the next size up.  Firstly, stamp the thank you sentiment onto cardstock. Then use the large oval punch up-side-down to align the stamped image before punching.  Then punch out another oval in the colour for the border (in this case in burgandy).  Cut the oval in half.  Put adhesive on the back of the sentiment oval, then position the two half ovals off the ends of the sentiment oval and “voila!”

How to made boarder for the thankyou sentiment

If you want a complete boarder around your sentiment simply punch out two burgandy ovals and cut the second one in half longways, placing it at the top and bottom of the oval:o)

 

 

 

 

Just Add Ink Challenge

Thought I might have a go at a Challenge today.  This is the sketch for this weeks Just Add Ink challenge.  Here are the other cards made for the challenge.

JAI77 sketch

 

And this is what i created based on the sketch

 

Supplies used: Motocycle stamp, Sense of time stamps, Crumb cake and Soft suede cardstock, Soft suede ink, sponge, linen twine, dimensionals.

Sew cute and sew much fun!

Wow, another great stamp set from the current mini available until the 31st of this month.  Not only is there the stamp set but a whole suite of cute paper, stamps embellishments and even an embosslit to match.  I made these little sewing kits based on the one that Delys Cram had made here, but using the latest Sew Suite range.

They have all the mini sewing supplies inside…

here is a wee peek at the products that were used in this projest.  To see the rest of the Suite click the mini catalogue on the right while it is still available to purchase from (thats until 31st July 2011)

“I don’t see that cool ribbon” I hear you say.  well thats because it was made using the wide (5/8″) vanilla grosgrain ribbon stamped in stazon ink with the long measuring tape image from the Sew Suite stamp set.  I simply put a bit of repositional Dotto adhesive on a bit of paper to hold the ribbon straight while i stamped it.  Cool result don’t you think?

Stazon ink is not water soluble so is perfect for modifying embelishments like this ribbon

Chocolate – Always on The List!

Mmmmmmm Chocolate!  I am in love with these stamps!

I used this set to create a shopping list type note book for last nights class.  Here is a picture of two of the colourways using the Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper.  These papers, as well as having a romantic feel to the design, put me in mind of chocolate treats!  And the question on everyones mind…. No, the chocolate rockyroad biscuit did not live past the photoshoot!

Pendant Park Thanks

Hi everyone, and thank you to those of you who have done little (and big) things to help me out while I get back up and running in my Stampin’ Up! business… You know who you are so I won’t name and shame you!  So I am back after a bit of a personal leave of absence and better than ever! (Of course! LOL)

Here are a few of the thankyou cards that I made recently featuring the Pendant Park set and gold embossing.  The graduadion of colour across the image was achieved by sponging So Saffron ink through the middle of the image then brayering on Old Olive from the bottom and Tangerine Tango down from the top.  I love the result.  Leave me a comment if you would like to see more of this technique or would like to see a photo tutorial breakdown of how to do it.  If you live in the Eastern Bay of Plenty (New Zealand) and would like to attend a class, check out the classes tab at the top of the page and come along!  If there is a group of you, I can come to you too )

Thank you cards made using the Pendant Park stamp set, gold embossing and brayering techniques

Post Christmas Post

Well the silly season is over and the even sillier back to school season is nearly upon us!  I teach at secondary school so back to work for me soon too.  Boo Hoo.  Anyway I thought I would share with you all the Christmas Crackers that i made for our family Christmas day.  I had brought some cute serviettes at the Warehouse and they here purples and blues, I thought that I would do crakers to match.

I made these little flowers for on the crakers by punching out three different coloured five petal flowers and layering them together with a large star brad.   The petals were squeezed up to add 3D and the flowers were all stacked off-center to each other.

Hope you have enjoyed, Thanks for reading!  Have a great day!

Colouring in!!!

 

PLAY TIME!!  I have been playing with the various colouring techniques getting ready for a workshop where a customer wants to learn to colour her images in different ways.  So i made a wee comparison chart.  Obviously there would be some variation in how much you layered up the colours, but you can see that the different methods give quite different results.  If you want a very subtle, dusty and sometimes ( depending on the colour and how heavyhanded you are) paler look the chalks are the way to go I found.  The ink and blender pen was easy and gave good colour, i probably could have put a little more on the shell to darken it too.  Markerpens are fun to get a watercolour look, I recommend using this method with the watercolour paper however, as you can see that the colour holds better.