Technique Classes

Whenever I run a technique class I always hand out written notes that are based upon my experience or sometimes also include directions from the product packaging or company website etc. Normally we cover 3-4 different variations on one technique and then make a card using each of the techniques and do a sample swatch of it so when you have given away the lovely cards (yes they are meant to be shared not hoarded!!) you have a visual reference to them for future. These are what the sample swatches look like, from the recent masking class) that are then stuck onto the participants class note pages.

Want to join in an upcoming class - check out what is scheduled and as always feel free to suggest class themes etc that you would like to see happening. 

Masking Trees

Another of the cards we did recently at the masking class was this one - with one of my all time favourite stamps sets - I confess to being very happy when this one did not retire in August!

The mask was cut using a window sheet and the largest oval in the ovals die. It didn't show up in the photograph, but there is glitter on the large tree to add highlights. This would look great made up for Christmas - just change the sentiment and maybe the colours if you wanted to.

Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Word Play
Ink: More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler & Chocolate Chip
Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard & Very Vanilla
Accessories: Bog Shot, Ovals die, Window Sheet, stamping sponge, basic rhinestone, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds.

African Giraffe

There are so many fabulous stamp sets in the new catalogue I want to use them all! I did use the new Zoo review set in a recent scrap class and for this card below which was part of a masking class.

Stamps: Zoo Review & You're A Gem

Ink: Black Stazon, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Early Expresso

Card Stock: Early Expresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Linen thread, Big Shot, Houndstooth textured impressions embossing folder, stamping sponges, Aquapainter, 3/4" circle punch, 1/16" handheld punch, Dimensionals, SNAIL. 1" circle punch, Dotto

Upcycled Button/Brad Container

I've seen similar items like this on the web and had to have a go at making one myself - super cute and quick.  If you don't have any empty button or brad containers you can buy the Stack & Store Containers in sets of 6 from the catalogue for AUD$7.50 #103649.

Doesn't it look pretty - it's one of the new in-colours Pool Party - looks lovely with the Chocolate Chip scallop ribbon doesn't it and the new Perfect Pennant die fits on top of the container well just perfectly! Ideal for holding treats or a small present.

Card Stock: Pool Party
Accessories: Perfect Pennant die, Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder, Chocolate Chip scallop ribbon, Basic Pearls, Scallop Circle die, Sticky Strip.

Join my Stampin' Up! Family and get more free gifts!

Well not only is there an amazing joining bonus at the moment with the mini starter kit at $169 & the full starter kit at a 20% discount ($231.20) see here for details, but for the next two weeks (September 25-October 8th) you also get FREE a stamp set  You Are Loved as an additional bonus!

Gorgeous isn't it! So email me now if you have any questions about joining or want more information and when you are ready, get your credit card and just click the "join now" button on my website!

Water coloured Ute

This was a card we made at a water colouring class a while back, we were trying out all the different ways to colour with Stampin' Up! products e.g. water colour crayons, Classic ink pads, Stampin' write marker pens, blender pens, water colour pencils, Aqua painters, pastels - so many different combinations! This was a fun card that the participants could make up and depending upon the colours chosen and the sentiment would have been suitable for many different occasions.

Stamps: Loads of Love, Loads of Love Accessories

Ink: Black Stazon, Always Artichoke

Card Stock: Crumb Cake, water colour paper,  Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus, Real Red striped grosgrain ribbon, stamp-a-ma-jig, Dimensionals, SNAIL, water colour crayons, Aquapainter.

Pennants Parade - Two Different Looks, One Card

Each month Stampin' Up! demonstrators get sent a monthly newsletter, Impressions, and last month there was a Christmas card made using the new Pennant Parade stamp set and co-ordinating punch. It was a lovely card and I decided to base a similar card on it.

I then decided that this would be a lovely card for a make and take at my new catalogue launch, but not everyone likes making Christmas cards in August.......so I changed the elements of the card around to make a birthday card - same colours, same ribbon & paper, same stamps, but a very different look!

Stamps: Pennant Parade, Four Frames
Card Stock: Eat Cake DSP, So Saffron, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Poppy Parade, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron
Accessories: Chocolate Chip scallop dots ribbon, Dimensionals, Decorative Label Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack, Petite Pennants Builder Punch, Hemp Twine, 1/16" handheld punch, Stamping Sponges.

Delicate Doilies Friend

Here's another card I made using the new Delicate Doilies & Four Frames stamp sets. Very simple and suitable for any occasion (just add the sentiment when it's time to send it) - it could be made up in any colours and look lovely, I added a few basic rhinestones in the doily centres to glam it up a bit.

Stamps: Four Frames, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Delicate Doilies
Ink: Crumb cake, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler
Card Stock: Whisper White, Crumb cake, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Word Window Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Basic Rhinestones, Dimensionals, SNAIL.

Fun Flowers Card

This was one of the two make & takes we made at my new catalogue launch, where some lovely ladies had LOTS of fun playing with new product, seeing the new displays and having a lovely evening. I wanted to use the new Fun Flowers die, as well in my opinion the picture of it in the catalogue does not do it justice and it is too nice a die to be overlooked! I CASEd the design from Dawn G. I wanted to use one of the new textured impressions embossing designs behind the flower, but my new catalogue order has not arrived yet so I used the polka dot one.

I did leave out one small circle layer that the die cuts as I felt it didn't need it. The sentiment could easily be changed to suit the occasion, one lady did it as an anniversary card which I thought was a lovely idea.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Ink: Early Expresso
Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Early Expresso, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Fun Flowers die, Big Shot, Scallop Trim Border punch, Modern Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Polka Dot Textured Impressions folder, basic pearls, SNAIL, stamping sponge.

Upcycled Ribbon Roll Centres

So what do you do when you have emptied your ribbon spool? You could of course add the plastic ribbon spool to the recycling bin, or you upcycle it into a treat tube!

Isn't that new chocolate chip scallop dots ribbon divine? I made the clear plastic tube from a clear window sheet. The lid comes off to access the treats - which of course don't have to be edible, hair clips or small pencils or other things would also fit in it.

I added flowers with the Boho Blossom punch centred with a metallic gold brad and a tag from Tiny Tags. 

 

This is a terrific way to recycle your ribbon spools as well as using up scraps of ribbon and DSP. If you want to try lots of different coloured ribbons without the massive outlay check out my ribbon share here.

Stamps: Tiny Tags
Card Stock: Eat Cake DSP, Poppy Parade, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Window Sheets, Gold brad, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Scallop Trim punch, Jewelry Tag punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch (flower), Boho Blossoms Punch, Stocky Strip, SNAIL, Chocolate Chip Scallop Dots ribbon.

ESAD New Catalogue Blog Hop - Fabric Fun

So are you enjoying the new 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! catalogue? To give you some idea of a few of the new products you can hop your way around a series of ESAD blogs to view a wide variety of projects made using them. Hopefully you have come here from Christie's blog and will have a look at what I've made using some of the new Stampin' Up! fabric and Big Shot dies.

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for "Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators" and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin Up demonstrators.

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 it is needed.

So if you are a Stampin' Up! demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please fee free to click here to join our wonderful group

I have been busy with the new Deck the Halls fabric - so exciting to have fabric in patterns and colours to match the Stampin' Up! inks! The first item I made was a basic tote bag (you can find the pattern here). I used the Tasteful Trim Big Shot die to cut out the contrast fabric and adhere it using the new iron on adhesive, I also added stitched layer for extra contrast. 

The flower was made using the new Fun Flowers die and it is such an awesome die - totally gorgeous and it makes such lovely layered flowers, I added a matching button in the centre from the Regal Designer Buttons pack.

I can see me using these flowers to embellish a number of projects in the future including hair clips, boxes, cards, notebooks as well as other bags - what would you use them for?


The second project I have made is actually still a work in progress as what started out as testing how the Big Shot dies cut felt and other fabrics (i.e. how many layers they can cut at once). I couldn't bare to waste them, so I added a few felt flowers to brighten up my yoga/meditation blanket and then it sort of spiraled out of control!

The flowers are from the new Fun Flowers die and the butterflies were cut using the Beautiful Wings Big Shot die. The flowers and butterflies are now making their way all around the edge of the blanket, they are all hand stitched together before being hand sewn onto the blanket.

I love how the die shapes all layer together perfectly, I've done all the colours and placement of the items randomly and love how the final product looks like I've spent hours matching up colours and arranging them!

Thanks for stopping by to look at my work, the next blog on the hop is Sharlene's here so go and see what she has been busy making.

Fathers Day Chocolate

It's Father's Day here in Australia today! I'm in the dog house though as I've been sick for a week as have my boys and between taking time off work, the new catalogue launch and everything else since my husband was away for a week as well I forgot to mail my own Dad's card - opps! Anyway here's something I made a couple of weeks ago - a modified chocolate slider.........

The shirt pulls out to reveal the greeting on the back of it

and then the top lifts up to get to the good part................

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Elegant Soiree DSP, Soft Suede
Ink: Soft Suede
Accessories: Neutrals designer buttons, corner rounder punch, Sticky Strip, mini glue dots
Non SU!: Chocolate bar

Join the Stampin' Up! Family

Wow September has certainly started with a bang! Not only did we get a gorgeous new catalogue, but we also got the best joining offer I have seen - you have the opportunity to start your own Stampin' Up! business for just $169 or purchase the regular joining kit at a 20% discount! Don't forget you no longer need to have an ABN number to join, you just need a credit card and in no time at all you'll be enjoying some fabulous perks of being a demonstrator! 

I confess to being someone who was hesitant about joining almost two years ago, but I really needed to have my stamping hobby pay for itself as there just wasn't the money in the budget with my husband studying full time to spend on all my crafting wants - well guess what, Stampin' Up! has more than covered all the costs of my crafting supplies, I have met some wonderful people who I am now really proud to call my friends and I'm having a tonne of fun along the way!

Stampin' Up! provides lots of bonuses as well as regular incentives that include product, cash and trips, training online and face to face,  free monthly magazine, online discussion group, 2 months free website hosting, annual convention, webinars and much more. Our group has monthly meetings for training and discussions, swaps, promotion incentives and a lot of fun!

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call as I'd be happy to get together and discuss anything with you and if you've made up your mind already, just click here now to go to my website where you can join simply by clicking the "join now" button at the top right below my contact details!

Ribbon Shares

Want all the new ribbons without the massive outlay?


Each ribbon share will have 2m of each colour and you can buy more than one share if you want lots for a project!

Postage is extra and at cost.

To purchase simply phone or email me now!

All ribbons are on pages 138-139 of the 2011-2012 Catalogue& Ideas Book

New In Colours for 2011: 3/8” grosgrain ribbon with small ruffled edges in five colours: Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder. 2m each colour = $21.00 per share

Denim Jean Ribbon: 3/8” wide ribbon with the look and feel of denim, 2m each Artichoke and Blue = $6.50 per share

Scallop Dots Ribbon: ½” grosgrain ribbon with printed white polka dots on one side and scallop edges with pinholes. 2m each of the ten different colours – Basic Black,  Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Elegant Eggplant,  Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, More Mustard, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink & Tangerine Tango = $34 per share

Seam Binding Ribbon: ½” wide soft ribbon that drapes like silk in 7 colours, 2m of each in Always Artichoke,  Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Rose Red & Very Vanilla = $21 per share.

Do You Need A New Stampin' Up! Catalogue????

Yes - the wait is finally over! The new 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! Catalogue is HERE! Want to take a look inside? Well there are a few ways you can do that - you could click here or the icon to the right and it will give you a PDF of the new catalogue that you can look through, you could host a party (check out the super new hostess benefits - they are SO good), or you could just purchase a catalogue from me as I have them in stock. So lots of options and lots of fun new things in the catalogue too!

Highlights of the new catalogue includes designer fabric, the Big Shot has been reduced to just $149.95! clear mount block storage, Big Shot die storage, not to mention amazing new dies, punches, designer papers and the lovely new in colours!

There are lots more exciting things happening - including a super special joining offer which I will post more details soon, a ribbon share I am doing and more about the new hostess benefits!