ESAD Blog Hop - Snorkelling Scrap Pages & Butterfly Writing Set

Okay so who isn't loving everything in the new Stampin' Up! catalogue? If you have just joined the blog hop or have come here from the super talented Susan Joyce I hope that you are enjoying some terrific ideas for how to use those Big Shot dies! So get a cuppa and enjoy the journey as I hope you’re ready for the ESAD Big Shot Blog Hop!

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators and it is an online group just for Australian and New Zealand demonstrators for Stampin’ Up! We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors but we share our love for what we do with each other as Demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know how and cyberstamps and we are always there to help and support each other when its needed.

So if you are a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group.

I have created two different projects for this blog hop, the first is a scrap page layout using the Circles #2, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet  & Top Note dies for the super versatile Big Shot & the second is a writing compendium using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and the Elegant lines textured impressions embossing folder.

I took inspiration for this layout from the new Celebrations DSP and extended the circle theme across the pages using the Circles #2 die, the Top Note die photos I hand cut off the perforated edge of the die to create a border around each photo. I also stamped a few of the bashful blue circles with a stamp from Circle Circus to continue the theme of the DSP.

  

Stamps: Circle Circus

Ink: Real Red

Paper: Celebrations DSP, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Pear Pizzazz DSP from DSP  ( level 1 hostess).

Accessories: Big Shot, Circles #2, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet,Top Note, Circle Scissors, SNAIL, Paper snips, Stampin' write journaler, 2-Way glue pen, 

The second project is a writing compendium based on a design by Andrea Walford that I originally made in June and have remade using products from the new catalogue. It is a lovely gift as it is a compendium that holds 4 cards and envelopes all on the same theme. I chose to use the new elegant lines embossing folder which is so gorgeous and the new Elegant Soirée DSP with the new Beautiful Wings embosslits which is such awesome value - I totally love it.

Wouldn't this make the most wonderful gift? I also used the new basic pearls to embellish the cards. It's hard to see with my photography, but the embossing is so deep, it's just gorgeous and when you emboss on plain white or vanilla card stock and sponge over the top, the design pops out and looks fantastic. 

This is what the inside of it looks like:

Here's a close up of one of the cards as well - how terrific is it that Crumb Cake (kraft) is now available in an ink pad!

Stamps: Elements of Style, Afterthoughts (level 1 hostess)

Ink: Soft Suede, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze

Card Stock:Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Basic Gray, Elegant Soirée DSP

Accessories: Paper piercer, Stampin' Dimensionals. Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Stamping sponges, SNAIL, Scallop edge punch, Crop-o-dile, Jumbo eyelets pewter, Sticky Strip, Basic Pearls.

Anyway congratulations for getting this far through my post! If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me and I will try to help out, I do have scrapbook, card and gift set classes like the above running regularly, for a calendar of events, please check my website. The next blog to hop on over to is that of Dani Fender  and you are going to love what she has made! 

Another Baby Card - Coveralls this time!

Yes it's another baby card, but this time not a pink bow or Big Shot die in sight, it was specially made for a friend who had a gorgeous little baby boy on Friday (both are doing well). I saw this card design ages ago on Susan Joyce's blog and flagged it to CASE as I just loved it. Unfortunately I did use retired DSP & the retired star punch and greeting as my new stuff hadn't arrived last week when I made the card, but you could easily substitute any DSP............I think it would also make a pretty awesome toddler birthday card by changing the stamp sentiment, I am hoping to remake it as soon as my Celebration DSP arrives (I so love the colours on that new DSP). Anyway enough waffle - here's the card:

So what do you think? Pretty cute isn't it - a real boy boy's card! The faux star buttons were made using 3 layers of card stock glued together and punched with the 1/16" handheld punch and then finished with a covering of crystal effects over the top. The DSP was sponged all around the edge and the tag pockets and turn ups were edged with faux stitching using a Chocolate Chip marker pen.

Stamps: Punches Three (retired hostess level 1)

Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Pacific Point & Good Morning Sunshine DSP (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker, Pacific Point.
Accessories: Small Star punch (retired), Large Tag punch, SNAIL, Stamping Sponges, Crystal Effects, Oval Extra-large punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, 1 1/4" circle punch.

Every Moment - Watercolour Daisy Card

Well I joined around 200 enthusiastic Stampin' Up! demonstrators and guests yesterday for the annual Regional Training event, it was so much fun! There were some amazing presentations by fellow local demonstrators and also from head office in Sydney and America. We got four lovely projects to make and take on the day (which is a really nice change as normally we're the ones cutting kits for our own classes), a beautiful new stamp set from the new catalogue called Every Moment (WM 121508 $31.95, CM 120522$25.95), a yummy lunch, new resources, some creative ladies did some wonderful swap items - sadly due to time anemia I didn't get to participate in the later - but I fully intend to next year as my goodness there are some very talented demonstrators out there!

This was the first of the make and take projects we made on the day:

It focused on masking and watercolouring and was a very simple, but effective card (of course I also had to decorate my envelope - I'm allergic to naked envelopes, I think they help brighten up postal workers days!). Isn't the new daffodil delight a gorgeous colour? I can't wait for my order containing it to arrive as it's just a lovely colour (perfect for my "yellow" themed scrapbook pages I am making in a class in November - for details go to my website and check my calendar of events for details). Doesn't the torn water colour paper look divine when it's sponged? Here's a close up of it:

Stamps: Every Moment

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Soft Suede (ink pad & marker), Jet Black Stazon 

Card stock: Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede & Watercolour paper

Accessories: Post-it note, Daffodil Delight 3/8" taffeta ribbon, Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Clips assortment, SNAIL, Aqua painter, Bone folder, Colour Spritzer Tool, Scallop Edge border punch, paper snips, Stamp-a-ma-jig, stamping sponge.

Hippopotamus Punch Art - too cute!!!

Okay I am slowly working my way through the Kim Score punch art designs, this one was a lot simpler than the crocodile I posted previously, but equally cute. I teamed it up with one of the super versatile new stamp sets called Party This Way.................so what do you think???

I must confess I was really pleased how it turned out and the only thing I realised after I made him was that I have to go and make another one, as this one I made using the retired going gray card stock, so I am in the process of redoing it in basic gray and it still looks lovely. 

Stamps: Party This Way & Tiny Tags

Card stock: Going Gray (retired), Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue & Basic Black

Ink: Going Gray (retired), Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue

Accessories: 1/4" Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon,  white gel pen, Stampin' Write journaller pen, paper snips, hemp twine, basic pearls, Tombow Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL, Stamping sponges, Stamp-a-ma-jig & too many punches to list!

Here's a close up of it, I love how Dimensionals and sponging really add to the depth and texture of cards

Don't you just love the new Basic Pearls along the party pennant that I turned into a little sailors hat (and such a good price). The details were added by hand using a white gel pen and Stampin' Write journaller pen. I can't wait to make the rest of the set of zoo animals, there are five in all so three left to go.........if you want to join in the fun and learn how to make this card of any others you see on my blog, please get in contact with me as I'd love to share my tips and hints with you!

Artistic Etchings

So how long is your wish list from the new catalogue? Mine is pretty long, but you know you can get some things from the new catalogue for free by hosting a party including a free catalogue RRP$12.95, earning exclusive hostess stamp sets and $$ to spend in the catalogue as well as enjoying learning some new techniques and trying out some of the products in a make & take - interested? Contact me and I'm sure we can find a time to suit! 

One of the lovely things about being a demonstrator is we get sneak peeks the products and are able to purchase a few of them prior to them being released to everyone. I bought a set recently which I think will be one of my new favourite stamp sets it's called Artistic Etchings. I have used it below in a more vintage/collage type way, but don't feel limited to use it only in this way as I've seen some wonderful cards made with it around different blogs.

Stamps: Artistic Etchings

Ink: Chocolate Chip & Basic Black

Card stock: Basic black, Very vanilla & Newsprint DSP

Accessories: Linen thread, 1/16" handheld punch, paper snips, SNAIL, Stampin' dimensionals, Stampin' sponge, 1 3/4" circle punch.

The Newsprint DSP was just scrunched up in my hands and then flattened out again, the creases and edges were gently sponged with chocolate chip ink to give it an aged appearance.  The other elements were arranged on top, with the crown being popped up on a dimensional to give it more height. In a couple of places the edge of the Newsprint DSP tore a little, giving it an even more aged look.

New Catalogue, New Colours & FREEBIES for Signing Up!

Well the count down is finally over - the brand new 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! catalogue is here & you can order from it right now by contacting me! If you haven't already got your hands on a new catalogue, you can click the previous link and download an electronic copy, book a workshop party and get one for free or order one from me for $12.95.

But wait there's more - if have ever thought about joining Stampin' Up! now is the time to join my team, as during the month of September when you sign up you get a complete set of In Colours-that's Classic Stampin' Pads, Stampin' Write Markers, and an assortment of card stock-completely FREE along with your demonstrator Starter Kit. The Starter Kit has over $415 AUD/ $590 NZD worth of stamping and business supplies and is always a great deal at only $289 AUD/ $339 NZD. Add the value of the free In Colours ($84.90 AUD/ $100.90 NZD), and there is no better time to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator! So if your wish list from the new catalogue is getting really long, think about joining up and getting a permanent discount on all  of your stamping, scrapbooking and papercraft supplies.