tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516964439649788082012-01-31T21:26:00.463+11:00Cards and more!Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.comBlogger3711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-38587973184635286242012-01-31T21:26:00.000+11:002012-01-31T21:26:00.487+11:00

Just a quick card I made recently, with no particular story behind it.  I just wanted to use Baja Breeze and Soft Suede because I'd seen a pretty card using those colours, It was looking a little "unfinished" until my friend suggested I use a little of her Seam Binding Ribbon - and it turned out that was exactly what the card needed.  This stuff is really soft and drapes beautifully - and as you

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-41635311809667505752012-01-28T21:25:00.001+11:002012-01-28T21:25:27.097+11:00

This morning I went to a baby shower ... ah, it took me back looking at all the teeny tiny little grow-suits and socks, not to mention nappies, wipes and nappy sacks, dummies and teething rings, little jars of baby food and bunny rugs.  You kind of forget just how much stuff you get through with a new baby in the house.  My baby is nearly 13-1/2, and her older brother will be 19 soon, so it's all

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-86421545289519122022012-01-25T21:10:00.000+11:002012-01-25T21:10:01.089+11:00

Did you know that for every $100 you spend in one order with Stampin' Up! between now and the end of March, you can choose a FREE Sale-A-Bration promotional item? Or, if you host a workshop during the same period, you could earn a FREE Sale-A-Bration item for every $600 in sales! Not only that, but if you join the Stampin' Up! family during the next two months, as well as the top value

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-15743799571670894092011-12-23T23:16:00.000+11:002011-12-31T11:04:45.961+11:00

I'm sure I've posted about this before, but I can't for the life of me recall where it ended up.  Anyway, it bears repeating. The other day, when I was making my Christmas cards, I was hunting for my stash of Whisper White cardstock (yes, it usually lives in the one place, but I was getting low and thought I might have some squirreled away elsewhere).  I found a handful of white cardstock and

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-30115606732585084232011-12-20T22:49:00.000+11:002011-12-20T22:49:00.277+11:00

With only a few days to go, I thought I had better share my Christmas cards for 2011 ... those of you who saw my previous post will recognise this instantly LOL.  Yes, I CASEd myself again this year - it was hard enough coming up with one design I could mass produce, why would I want to try to think of another? Actually, I did have another idea, but that never really took off - I decided I was

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-12573713207347785682011-12-17T22:29:00.000+11:002011-12-17T22:29:00.067+11:00

Ho, ho, ho. That's about as merry as it gets around here at this time of year.  I find myself not feeling terribly Christmassy until the very last minute (although for a wonder I have actually finished all the gift buying early - I know, I couldn't believe it either!). Each year, I have been asked by my employers to make handmade cards to send out to our customers.  It's only a small company,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-57416547411069893742011-12-16T22:33:00.001+11:002011-12-16T22:33:23.179+11:00

Yes, I know it's over 2 weeks since I posted ... it's been hard to get a look-in on my own computer lately, since 18yo DS got Skyrim and this is the one computer in the house that has enough RAM to run it.  Tonight I have asked him nicely to let me have a turn :-) I wanted to give you a quick update on the December Frenzy sale ... due to limited supply, the set Every Moment has been

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-50118935164452202912011-12-01T23:04:00.001+11:002011-12-01T23:11:34.307+11:00

One more quick post and then it's time for bed... From December 1 2011 through to March 31 2012, you can purchase items from the new Summer Mini Catalogue.  There's lots of new stamps, papers, ribbons and even a couple of punches (look out for projects starring the new 1" square punch and the coordinating postage stamp punch!). Email me if you would like a copy of the Mini for yourself (or

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-15507426153482928782011-12-01T22:50:00.001+11:002011-12-01T23:11:51.101+11:00

Hello?  I know you're out there ... sorry it's been a few weeks since my last update, November turned out to be quite a bit busier than I had expected for everything except stamping.  But I have to take a few moments to share the December promotion with you, because it's a beauty :-) During December  2011, you can get up to 50% off a selection of amazing products.  There are a couple here

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-87095255132084789582011-11-09T22:26:00.000+11:002011-11-09T22:26:00.063+11:00

Last time I showed you a card made with a somewhat eye-popping colour combination ... well, I didn't stop with just one, oh no, not me. How do you like this? Again I have used Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry and Early Espresso but aside from the greeting, there is no stamping involved - I just let the cardstock and my awesome new Fun Flowers Bigz L Die do the work for me. The

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-34849723773131369282011-11-06T22:17:00.000+11:002011-11-06T22:17:00.119+11:00

Here's a colour combination I found a little challenging.  I used the ColourQ site again, and picked these as colours I would use but hadn't put together before ... it was quite interesting to work outside my comfort zone with these. So, do Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry and Early Espresso work together?  I think the answer is "yes".  Who would have thought it?  Certainly not me!

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-19491386523009712242011-11-03T22:03:00.003+11:002011-11-03T22:09:47.222+11:00

During November, you can purchase selected Big Shot dies and embossing folders for 10% off!  No minimum requirements, no other purchase necessary - take a look at this list of special prices: Page Item Description Retail Price 10% Off Price 156 117332 Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslits Die $21.95 $19.75 156 114515 Flower Burst Embosslits Die $21.95 $19.75 157 114517 Manhattan Flower

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-47457120633179548752011-10-23T17:19:00.001+11:002011-10-23T17:19:14.647+11:00

How cute is this idea?  I was looking for inspiration for my new stamps (the Stitched Stockings set, currently available this month as a "preview" set from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalogue - click this link to find out more) and stumbled across this nifty "out of the box" use.  So who says stockings are just for Christmas? I also got a chance to christen my new Houndstooth Embossing Folder ...

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-53176553252383515122011-10-19T21:35:00.000+11:002011-10-19T21:35:00.061+11:00

A week or so ago I posted a card I was particularly happy with, using the Creative Elements set.  I liked it so much I made it again to send to my darling sister-in-law (waves to Sophie) for her birthday, but this time I paired my new favourite colours Pool Party and Island Indigo. Oh, and everything goes with Crumb Cake.  I can't recommend this "colour" highly enough. To bling this up just a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-80858647271359107022011-10-16T21:38:00.001+11:002011-10-16T21:38:24.009+11:00

 New rubber!  Yay!  Finally got around to placing an order from the new 2011-12 Catalogue, and so I have some new stuff to play with (*sigh* when I get time). This is one of the new hostess sets ... for a workshop or order of $300 or more, you could choose this stamp set (and more!) for your very own. I was inspired by this post at ColourQ (I can't believe it's taken me this long to discover

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-51286789327115332832011-10-10T20:32:00.000+11:002011-10-10T20:32:00.883+11:00

I have been drawn to making softer, more "vintage" style cards lately, although sadly I don't really have much in the way of current Stampin' Up! supplies to do this with (better rectify that - there are some lovely "olde worlde" styles in the current 2011-12 catalogue). Fortunately one of the stamp sets we received at the Stampin' Up! Convention back in May was Creative Elements, which has 8

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-50020610469084538462011-10-07T20:34:00.001+11:002011-10-07T20:34:51.818+11:00

Have you had a close look at the new 2011-12 In Colors yet?  Those of you who have been mourning the loss of a pale purple might be pleased to know there is now a shade called Wisteria Wonder.  It may not be able to replace Pale Plum (nothing ever will *sob*) but it does look gorgeous when teamed with Concord Crush as shown here. I have heard it said that Wisteria Wonder is a little "grey" -

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-11101097429233007032011-10-02T13:18:00.000+11:002011-10-02T13:18:11.029+11:00

During the month of October, you can purchase or earn an exclusive preview stamp set and coordinating punch.  The cute Stitched Stockings set is available in clear-mount or wood-mount, and is designed to be mix-and-matched with the Stocking Tag builder punch.  I have already seen some adorable samples using this set, and now you have the opportunity to purchase it before it's official release

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-68341141785599086422011-09-15T09:00:00.000+10:002011-09-15T09:00:00.151+10:00

I'm still having a little fun with the Owl Builder punch.  This card is a little more straightforward than the last two - no tricks, no fancy stuff, just the owl as he was meant to be. I have also discovered a colour scheme I'm particularly happy with :-)  Look how pretty Pool Party and Island Indigo are with Poppy Parade!  Fresh and clean and just downright happy! Images © 1990-

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-29244084068065808222011-09-12T09:00:00.000+10:002011-09-12T09:00:03.653+10:00

Every time I look at this little guy's face, I have to smile :-) Further to my post the other day about cranking out a few ideas with my owl punch, I came across this little gem.  Too easy!  The sheep took about five minutes to make (well, possibly six by the time I glued the teeny-tiny pupils onto the eyes), then another half an hour to decide on his background. Images © 1990-2011 Stampin'

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-37240334350641228912011-09-09T09:00:00.000+10:002011-09-09T09:00:02.704+10:00

The other day I realised that my Owl Punch hadn't been getting much love lately, so out it came for a play.  After a bit of a look around on the web I felt inspired enough to make this little beauty ... I love it so much, just wish I'd thought of it independently *g*. The original inspiration is here ... you can see that I've tweaked the idea a little.  The "sky" layer is a piece of Pink

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2Melbourne VIC, Australia-37.8131869 144.9629796-38.2146124 144.33126560000002 -37.411761399999996 145.5946936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-83503943372900093772011-09-06T18:00:00.000+10:002011-09-08T22:52:41.334+10:00

Just something I whipped up the other day. I tore some pages out of a secondhand book on music history I picked up for just such a purpose many years ago, and over-stamped and sponged them in Cherry Cobbler ink to tie the layers together. The beauty of using layers like this is that you can use them to hide mistakes, like the one you can't see here - in the original design, two hearts (

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-69197446007235579872011-09-03T22:20:00.000+10:002011-09-02T21:21:38.067+10:00

 Have you had a chance to check out the new 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalogue yet?  How fun is it?! And speaking of fun, here's a little card made using a new set Button Buddies (see page 47).  Attendees at the Melbourne Convention in May were lucky enough to receive this set for FREE (my favourite kind), and I have been hanging out to share it with you all. The stamps are designed to coordinate

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-53303274352915879162011-09-01T10:25:00.000+10:002011-09-01T10:25:08.559+10:00

Yes, the moment you've all been waiting for!  The new 2011-12 Idea Book &  Catalogue is now live and ready for you to have a look for some new favourite products. Click the picture above or here to take a look. One thing I'm particularly happy about is the drop in price for many of the Big Shot items - take a look at pages 155-161 and see things like exclusive embossing folders now only

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-86282725943349802342011-09-01T09:13:00.003+10:002011-09-01T10:25:38.688+10:00

Have you ever thought about becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator?  Well, during the month of September, for the bargain price of only $169, you could! For a limited time only, you can purchase a mini Starter Kit, valued at over $310, for only $169 and discover the benefits of belonging to the Stampin' Up! family.  Or, if you prefer, you can purchase the full Starter Kit ($610 value) at a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-84263056004647303872011-08-30T19:20:00.002+10:002011-09-03T12:55:59.108+10:00

Just a reminder that there is only ONE MORE DAY TO GO of the 2010-11 Idea Book & Catalogue. That means this is your last chance to purchase retiring items (those that haven't already sold out, that is). Last orders are taken tomorrow, August 31, 2011. Take a quick look at the list on my Google Docs page or download a PDF copy from my webpage. The sold out items are marked so you can quickly

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-37995178924151907052011-08-25T22:11:00.001+10:002011-08-25T22:11:00.697+10:00

The bane of the crafter - well, probably any hobbyist, really - the UnFinished Objects that clutter up your workspace. The other night I picked up one of the many UFOs I have tucked away (no wonder they're unfinished - out of sight, out of mind!) and actually converted it to a Finished Object. The fact that it looks nothing like the original prototype is neither here nor there. Originally this

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-67032957098719088242011-08-22T21:53:00.007+10:002011-08-22T22:10:37.260+10:00

What's CAS? That's "Clean And Simple" card styles, a sample of which is shown to the left. Notice anything ... "new" ... about this card? What, you mean aside from the stamp set (Creative Elements, soon available from the 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalogue). Yes, you guessed it, new In Colors! Shown here is a combination of Island Indigo and Pool Party, available from September 1. Island Indigo

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-25310674213458354352011-08-19T09:50:00.003+10:002011-08-19T09:50:00.268+10:00

I honestly haven't had the time to do much in the way of cardmaking lately :-( and really wanted to get some posts up with projects using retiring stock. In the meantime, click the links below to have a look at stuff I've made in the past. Hopefully I'll get back to "regular programming" sometime soon! Priceless Tart & Tangy (on special at 25% off) Wonderful Favourites (I highly recommend this

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-7653485799860616232011-08-15T20:06:00.004+10:002011-08-15T20:06:00.161+10:00

A new Stampin' Up! catalogue is not only exciting for all the new products it contains, but also the new samples and ideas on every page. This year, inspiration hit me before I had even turned to page 1! Those of you who are lucky enough to have seen the new catalogue (and it's a beauty) may recognise the colour scheme I have used here. And if you've turned to page 67 you'll see where I got

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-11042461833489330862011-08-11T19:52:00.004+10:002011-08-11T20:05:39.180+10:00

A couple of months ago, I attended Stampin' Up's annual convention here in Melbourne. One of the highlights of convention is seeing fellow demonstrators present a Workshop Wow on stage - they are all so clever, and we always come away with some nifty little trick to share with out customers. Kirsty Brown showed us a stunning way to use our Beautiful Butterflies Sizzix die. I would try to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-10594717659212213772011-08-01T16:16:00.003+10:002011-08-01T16:23:43.542+10:00

Okay, I'm back with more information following on from my post this morning.This morning, Stampin' Up! announced which stamp sets and accessories will be retiring at the end of August 2011. Each day at 8am, SU will update their availability listing, and I will have mine up to date shortly after that for you to check prior to placing your order.At this stage, availability for all retiring items

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-15635070871817986252011-08-01T09:07:00.004+10:002011-08-01T09:13:37.499+10:00

It's August, and you know what that means! Some stamp sets, cardstocks and accessories are soon to be retiring FOREVER.I will have a chance to talk more about this later today or tomorrow (it's also the first of the month everywhere else as well, including my "real life" job LOL), but here's a quick link to the Retiring List - have a quick look and see if there's anything there you've had your

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-8480437946093279092011-07-18T20:14:00.004+10:002011-09-08T22:54:20.758+10:00

As promised the other day, here's the thank you card I sent to my friend last week - it arrived safe and sound :-) I'm still pretty happy with the result of my first attempt at inlaid embossing (well, second, but we won't talk about the true first attempt, it was pretty pathetic). Using the right embossing folder makes a world of difference - the Square Lattice folder is perfect because it has

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-20219975698920299322011-07-14T12:56:00.003+10:002011-07-14T13:04:20.506+10:00

I can't show you the whole card, because it still has to be mailed out to a friend, but here's a little peek at a card I made last night with my NEW toy, the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet for my Big Shot.This sizzlit die set comes with 12 dies, containing all upper and lower case letters of the alphabet, plus the numbers 0-9 and punctuation, all in a nifty little storage case with room to store

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-59363775630111585632011-07-08T20:07:00.000+10:002011-07-08T20:07:00.319+10:00

Here's a little eye candy to brighten up your dreary winter days ... completely inspired by a project in the monthly publication that Stampin' Up! demonstrators receive (anyone who's seen the original will know which one I mean).Whereas the original was a beautiful 12x12 scrapbook page with a spray of stamped and punched flowers down one side, I simplified the idea down to a standard (if slightly

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-47203777289163242542011-07-04T18:48:00.000+10:002011-07-04T18:48:00.058+10:00

Here's something I made a while back. I was holding off posting a picture because I wanted to try my hand at making a little "steam engine" to pull these cute little carriages - but it's been several months and I'm no closer to working out how I would go about that :-) So if you have any ideas and/or patterns, feel free to let me know!You can't tell from the picture that these are actually

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-35431755539008684882011-07-01T14:50:00.005+10:002011-07-01T14:56:07.891+10:00

Do you like FREE stuff? During July, order $100 of product from Stampin' Up! and receive a free ribbon and button bundle! These accessories will brighten up your winter stamping in no time, so contact me to place your order today!

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-27397773926638929442011-06-30T21:07:00.000+10:002011-06-30T21:07:00.386+10:00

However, I think I might have enough.*snort*Naaaaaaah...(but I am running out of room).

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-27980315654556735902011-06-27T21:37:00.005+10:002011-06-27T21:37:00.356+10:00

Last Saturday was another fun afternoon hanging out at SERS. I usually grab a handful of stuff with no real plans and as a result, rarely come away with a completed project (although I am working on changing this). This time, however, I had an Idea.Here we have the result of that Idea. To be honest, I didn't finish on Saturday afternoon, because I forgot to bring any punches, but I did come

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-34761590688236631852011-06-24T18:37:00.001+10:002011-06-24T18:37:00.223+10:00

I loved this card the minute I saw it. I can't decide if it's the colour scheme (how well does River Rock go with Melon Mambo and Elegant Eggplant?) or the layout. In an attempt to find out, I made my own version - and yes, I know, it's pretty much a straight copy. I was low on mojo the other night when I did this, and couldn't find my own creativity :-(Anyway, aside from using Concord Crush

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-58667404645478916642011-06-22T18:06:00.006+10:002011-06-22T18:06:01.239+10:00

It's been quite a while since I tried my hand at a "vintage" style card, and I was surprised just how hard it was to capture the vision I had in my head of how this was supposed to work out.To be honest, I never did work that out. This card really didn't come out the way I wanted it to :-(I started with a random page out of an old dictionary, scrunched, sponged, inked and spritzed with water

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-10333731418101506222011-06-19T17:54:00.002+10:002011-06-19T18:06:53.947+10:00

I know, I really need to get off this butterfly kick, but this is just so much fun! Here we have yet another butterfly easel card, this time in Crumb Cake and Rich Razzleberry (how awesome is this combination of colours?).This time I've blinged these up a little with rhinestones - love these things *g*.Supplies used:Stamp(s): Baroque MotifsInk: Rich RazzleberryCardstock: Crumb Cake, Rich

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-52354964271337766942011-06-10T21:13:00.000+10:002011-06-10T21:13:00.614+10:00

I am still having fun with my Beautiful Wings Embosslit - it is just so handy for adding that finishing touch to a floral card!Here is something I made recently when some friends came around to stamp. I was inspired by a card I saw ... somewhere ... I think it might have been on the Stampin' Up demonstrators' forum.I have stamped the grass from Inspired by Nature (note to self - must use that

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-86070420778466463272011-06-07T21:00:00.002+10:002011-06-09T08:22:33.343+10:00

When I made my first order from the current Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue, I somehow managed to overlook this adorable punch. It was on my list, and yet I still managed to leave it off my order.Luckily I managed to correct that omission, and it arrived earlier this week.Now, this is a particulary nifty punch, containing all the elements you need to create a whole cake shop of tasty cupcakes.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-59572000085832051222011-06-05T20:45:00.007+10:002011-06-05T21:38:00.588+10:00

A few weeks ago, I attended the annual Stampin' Up! Australia/New Zealand convention, held in sunny Melbourne (yes, I am being completely facetious when I use that word - it was actually held during our first real cold snap of 2011, much to the dismay of the visiting American SU staff).Attending the convention is always fun - not just because I get to catch up with fellow demonstrators from all

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-77079597138619434312011-05-29T15:53:00.003+10:002011-05-29T16:01:30.854+10:00

As you can see, I'm still playing around with my butterfly dies - this time the Beautiful Wings Embosslit, which cuts and embosses five gorgeous little butterflies at once.I have made a card similar to this one before, but this time I just wanted to go with a really simple colour scheme. You might guess that I'm pretty happy with the result, and you'd be right!Supplies used:Stamp(s): Hello

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-66552212479839418292011-05-25T09:30:00.002+10:002011-05-25T09:37:18.251+10:00

And the final Deals of the Week are ...:Item Page Description Regular Price Sale Price 113838 62 Right on Track Stampin' Around Wheel $11.95 $8.37 115619 68 Retro Remix Stampin Around Wheel $11.95 $8.37 119975 134 Vintage Type Rub-Ons $15.95 $11.17 118760 134 Play Date Rub-Ons $16.95 $11.87Remember these items are only available at this price for orders placed between

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-79439361263295926272011-05-23T13:43:00.005+10:002011-05-24T10:14:28.747+10:00

Good news! If you hold a workshop or place a qualifying order totalling $450 or more (including GST and shipping) from now till June 30, you can receive an additional $70 in hostess benefits on top of the $40 in free product already available - and, of course, the hostess stamp set.Just think of all the goodies you can get with an extra $70 ...!So grab your planner and give me a call to book

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-31798641271837848772011-05-21T14:03:00.000+10:002011-05-21T14:03:00.097+10:00

These are just so cute!I was blog surfing the other night, looking for more ideas using my Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die, and came across this by the talented Bronwyn Eastley. I was intrigued and investigated further - turns out she has a tutorial on her blog on making a slightly smaller version (there is a link at the end of the Faux Fabric Butterfly post).So easy! So effective!So naturally I

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-67219484782601567832011-05-19T19:39:00.006+10:002011-05-19T19:39:00.160+10:00

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I recently attended the annual Stampin' Up! convention (held right here in Melbourne this year - very handy!). As always, we were treated to entertaining and informative presentations on different aspects of the business of Stampin' Up! as well as nifty crafting ideas to share with our customers.One of the things that was highlighted was the use of the Big

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-81639511462828559442011-05-18T09:33:00.003+10:002011-05-18T09:39:51.225+10:00

A new batch of "Deals of the Week" has been announced!Item Page Description Regular Price Sale Price 119750 137 Daffodil Delight 5/8'' (1.6 cm) Satin Ribbon $16.95 $11.87 119963 137 Certainly Celery 3/8'' (1 cm) Taffeta Ribbon $12.95 $9.07 109112 139 Square Fire Rhinestone Brads $19.95 $13.97 109113 139 Square Ice Rhinestone Brads $19.95 $13.97These products are

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-6052134529268448882011-05-17T11:53:00.001+10:002011-05-17T12:02:22.814+10:00

Yes, I have absolutely no excuse whatsoever for not updating my blog as frequently as I should.I did attend the Stampin' Up! Convention (conveniently held in Melbourne this year) just last weekend, although that really only accounts for four days out of the last 45 or so in which this blog has lain unattended.So I will be getting out the dustbuster, cleaning up the cobwebs and putting some new

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-6484941112226314952011-04-05T19:14:00.002+10:002011-04-05T19:14:00.122+10:00

As mentioned the other day, Stampin' Up! have announced that a selection of products from the recent Summer Mini Catalogue will continue to be available for purchase.The products are:Mini Vintage Tags (12)Vintage Trinkets (48)Square Lattice Embossing FolderScallop Square Bigz DiePinking Hearts Corner PunchPinking Hearts Border PunchIsland Floral Bigz DieBitty Buttons (64)Itty Bitty Shapes Punch

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-52787994444148102072011-04-03T12:11:00.002+10:002011-04-03T12:17:36.330+10:00

Summer (such as it was *g*) is long gone and suddenly it's time for a new Mini Catalogue from Stampin' Up! You can check out the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue online here, or email me to have a copy sent out to you.In addition to all the exciting new products in the Mini Catalogue, a few items from the Summer Mini are being carried over ... a full list will be published here in a day or two (when

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-42792163904273205372011-03-25T19:19:00.000+11:002011-03-25T19:21:22.484+11:00

Just to let you know that due to unforeseen circumstances, Denise has had to postpone her proposed fundraiser (see my last post) until May 6th at 7pm ... keep an eye out here or at her blog for further details.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-21382562986132294042011-03-20T19:02:00.001+11:002011-03-20T19:07:48.617+11:00

Sorry about my absence recently! It's been a few weeks, for which I have absolutely no excuse. I even have some cards to post, but I just haven't got around to photographing them to load them up here.I just popped in to let you know about a fundraiser my friend and fellow demonstrator Denise is running next weekend. Her home town of Charlton was inundated with the floods earlier this year, and

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-27427054998376566492011-03-02T20:43:00.003+11:002011-05-19T09:17:13.564+10:00

I've had this set for some time now, and I can't believe it's taken this long for it to see some ink! It's a Level One hostess set, which means that you can't buy it, but you can earn it for FREE with either a $300 plus order or a $300 plus workshop.And the beauty of the set? It coordinates with some of the exclusive Stampin' Up! punches, as shown here. I have gone for a soft, vintage feel

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-23404735624553471762011-02-27T20:33:00.002+11:002011-02-27T20:33:00.523+11:00

Another monochromatic card I put together recently ... this was inspired by a card I saw on Splitcoast Stampers; unfortunately I can't remember which one it was :-(The background which you can just see peeping out from behind the Not Quite Navy layer is stamped with French Filigree - such a pretty background stamp!Supplies used:Stamp/s: Pocket Silhouettes, French FiligreeInk: Baja

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-14772103056888076382011-02-24T20:20:00.001+11:002011-02-24T20:20:00.337+11:00

Funny ... I love this stamp set, yet this is the first time I've used it. That says more about how many stamps I have than about this set, however *blush*.When you buy this set, what you see here is what you get - it's only small (four stamps) but cute (and inexpensive!).I like how the silhouette style of the stamps works well with the monochromatic colour scheme I've used here.Supplies used:

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-34040178647116516492011-02-21T20:04:00.002+11:002011-02-21T20:19:58.192+11:00

Oops, that little break turned out a bit longer than I'd planned! Last time I promised to post the "other" card I made using the envelope die and assorted hearts and butterflies ... this is the Concord Crush/Bashful Blue variation.This time instead of stamping the background, I chose to run a piece of Crumb Cake through the Square Lattice embossing folder .. and a word of warning - if you have

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-42960255275378990072011-02-05T00:23:00.005+11:002011-02-05T00:35:19.994+11:00

It was the first Stamp Club of the year last Saturday, and there I was with no project and no ideas - Splitcoast Stampers to the rescue!I took along a bunch of stuff, most of which didn't get used (naturally) and came away with this card, which I am totally rapt in!I used the set I {heart} Hearts, and the Full Heart and Heart to Heart punches. You can see that some of the punched hearts have a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-19193236076355842292011-01-28T19:14:00.001+11:002011-09-08T22:54:10.840+10:00

How adorable is this stamp? Designed to match the Two Step Owl Punch, it's quick way to create a focal point for a card. This stamp is part of the set Punch Bunch, only available during **Sale-A-Bration** (from now until March 31, 2011), and is only available when you spend $100 or more (in one transaction) on catalogue merchandise from Stampin' Up!. So far, the samples I've seen using this

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-83441630826904138332011-01-25T09:40:00.000+11:002011-01-25T09:40:00.596+11:00

Do you like stamping?Do you like FREE STUFF?If you answered "Yes" to the above questions, then you'll love this news!From January 25 through until March 31, for every $100 of product you order from Stampin' Up! (in one transaction) you will receive a FREE Sale-A-Bration stamp set!Click on the picture above to head on over to my website to read more, or click here to view the stamps and download a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-42207622570181505282011-01-15T12:57:00.005+11:002011-01-15T13:27:00.839+11:00

I, like so many people in Australia and probably around the world, have been watching and reading news reports of the devastating floods taking in much of Queensland over the past week. Some stories have been uplifting, others unbearably tragic.Stampin' Up! have announced that for the month from January 15 (ie. today) until February 15, they will be donating $2 AUD of the retail value of sales

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-47263600661455321392011-01-13T20:11:00.000+11:002011-01-13T20:11:00.208+11:00

The third and final of the Christmas gift card holders I made for my nieces and nephew. You can see the first and second here and here.This time I got a little more creative than I had expected - what was supposed to be a simple slide-out design ended up taking a little longer than I thought. My first few attempts were cast aside as I toyed with different ideas.In the end, I think I did well.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-18276682522941898892011-01-08T20:13:00.007+11:002011-01-09T20:11:14.808+11:00

Here's the second of three gift cards I made just before Christmas (literally just before Christmas ... I think they were put together on December 24th). You can see the first here.This time I based the holder on one found here, with amendments as suggested at this site.If you've memorised the contents of your 2010-11 Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue (as I have, of course), you will see that I

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-36951757514844566652011-01-05T11:27:00.004+11:002011-01-05T11:33:22.419+11:00

Here's hoping that your 2011 is the best year yet!And in the spirit of "new" things, Stampin' Up! have a new promotion for you ... their Valentine Sweethearts special.Between now and January 24, 2011, purchase either the Sweetheart Stamp Set (wood or clear mounted) or the Full Heart Punch and receive a FREE pack of the Heart Treat Cups (12 cups to a pack). Or buy both the stamp set and the punch

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-11789629436826567342010-12-30T16:28:00.006+11:002011-09-08T22:54:00.223+10:00

Each year, I give my brother's kids gift cards for Christmas ... as they get older it's hard to know what they particularly want, so I figure they're better off choosing their own gifts at their own pace. So every year I have to think up a new way of presenting the cards. Luckily there are a ton of ideas out there on the net to be inspired by! You can see past years' gift card holders here and

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-32749012035715649822010-12-27T20:50:00.002+11:002010-12-27T20:50:00.304+11:00

I'm still catching up on posting stamping done in early December ... here we have a card made as a thank you for my daughter's Grade Six teacher, who was tremendously supportive throughout the school year.I used the card made for Liz as a template, and just changed things around a little to suit the things I had on hand (ie. those things I grabbed first).So instead of a panel up the side, I used

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-83454846505065178372010-12-24T20:23:00.006+11:002010-12-24T20:23:00.840+11:00

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone. My present to you is this - something pretty to look at *g*.This is a card made for my friend Liz's birthday last month (although I only caught up with her the other night - better late than never).I wish I could take credit for it, but I totally CASEd the card from the extraordinarily talented Kim at this link, and just added a few touches of my own.I used

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-72550620591069516912010-12-22T20:01:00.008+11:002010-12-22T20:46:55.120+11:00

Long time no see! Still too busy to sit down and stamp, although I do need to make some gift card holders for my brother's kids by Christmas day - ah, there's plenty of time, there's still two days to go *g*.In the meantime, here's a card I made last month and completely forgot to post. My dear friend Pauline was turning *ahem*, so of course I had to use one of her favourite stamp sets to

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-78993284037852757872010-12-13T22:04:00.003+11:002010-12-13T22:12:48.638+11:00

... at least that's what it seems like. Wasn't it just the start of December? Now it's suddenly the 13th! Yikes!Still no stamping here, far too busy with end of year school type things, and all the usual pre-Christmas hype (ie. leaving shopping till the last minute, trying to work out what you're doing on the day, you know how it is), which is a shame because I just took delivery of some new

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-67863024479938889242010-12-02T17:00:00.000+11:002010-12-02T17:00:04.278+11:00

How exciting does this sound? A frenzy of specials, available from December 1st through to the 29th. Download the flyer at my website here (or have a look at the list below) and check out the great bargains to be had!Last minute Christmas shopping? Deserve a little something special for yourself? Some products are 50% off!I personally am planning on making a purchase or two - there is a stamp

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-1257365667824086392010-12-02T09:29:00.004+11:002010-12-02T09:41:25.303+11:00

... and Stampin' Up! have released their new Australian Summer Mini Catalogue, full of stampy goodness *g*. Items in this catalogue are available from December 1, 2010 through to March 31, 2011.Click the link above to go straight to the online catalogue, then contact me to order your new goodies!If you are planning on holding a workshop during this period, don't forget to check out the two new

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-19406382759255038542010-11-27T08:19:00.001+11:002010-11-28T12:11:15.714+11:00

As promised, here's a picture of the Christmas card that my lucky friends and family are going to receive this year.Rather than think of a new design, I just based this on the card I made for my "real life job" employer to send out to our customers, with a couple of changes. First and most obvious (duh!) is the colours - I have gone for a more traditional red/green look, with a slightly vintage

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-68646642986845263182010-11-24T21:13:00.006+11:002010-11-26T08:36:07.747+11:00

... and for a wonder, I'm organised (well, so far).I have just this week finished the Christmas cards I make annually to send out to the customers of the company I work for - I like to think they appreciate the effort, and of course I am paid for my work and supplies!This is the card that the lucky customers are getting this year.I am loving this colour scheme - pick any purple, green and blue,

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-51026688477226467142010-11-21T19:39:00.000+11:002010-11-21T19:39:00.589+11:00

This is the final project from the Stampin' Up! Melbourne Regional seminar last weekend. This one isn't technically finished, as I don't have a photo to put on the scrap page (yet), but it still looks pretty.The butterfly is from the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die for the Big Shot - love love love this die! The instructions called for us to stamp the greeting across the middle and sponge the

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-79367546659927807632010-11-20T18:47:00.003+11:002010-11-20T18:49:33.580+11:00

I have received news from Stampin' Up! that there are quality issues with the Ornament Punches, and as such the "Delightful Decorations" bundle is no longer available for the current Christmas ribbon promotion.If you were planning on ordering this punch, I'm afraid it will be unavailable for an unspecified amount of time as both Stampin' Up! and the manufacturers are working on a solution.

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-21833462344548214052010-11-18T19:16:00.005+11:002010-11-18T19:16:00.154+11:00

Third of four projects from the Stampin' Up! Melbourne Regional Seminar ... again using Every Moment, but this time the bird stamp from that set.Here, while we used watercolouring techniques again, this one is done on Very Vanilla cardstock. The result is not quite as satisfactory as when the Watercolour Paper is used, but it can be done. You just need to use less water and be pretty sure about

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-26913121218896228492010-11-16T19:07:00.005+11:002010-11-16T19:07:00.602+11:00

Further to my post from the other day, here's the second of the projects I completed after our Regional Seminar last weekend.The photo might be a little dark (well, it looks that way on my computer screen, which is long past retirement age), so you may not be able to see the texture of the base Soft Suede cardstock.Again, we used watercolouring on the daisy from the Every Moment set, and also

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-48925080214638218822010-11-14T18:50:00.009+11:002010-11-14T19:52:49.130+11:00

Yesterday was the day of the Melbourne Regional Seminar for Stampin' Up! demonstrators and guests. After the heat of the latter part of the week, then the downpour Friday night, it was nice to know we were going to spend the day snug in the new Melbourne Convention Centre, learning some new tricks and getting some business tips as well.Amongst all the presentations and demonstrations, there is a

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-28770250653633067602010-11-01T22:55:00.005+11:002010-11-01T23:33:53.029+11:00

Just been busy with non-stamping stuff lately. Although I have made a start on my my annual commission of 100 cards for my employer to send out to our customers (I get paid for that, by the way). Take a look here, here and here for past years' efforts.I will be posting a picture of some of the cards in the next day or so. So far I've done 33, only 67 to go! And then I have to make my personal

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-45605119861947251412010-10-18T21:20:00.004+11:002010-10-18T21:32:57.247+11:00

Between October 16 and November 30, you can order one of the following bundles and receive a FREE spool of exclusive Stampin' Up! ribbon.The Gifted Bundle: Gifted Stamp Set and Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper. Wood Mount Price $66.90 or Clear Mount price 56.90The Welcome Christmas Bundle: Welcome Christmas Set and Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper. Wood Mount price $69.90

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-34313167309621826502010-10-16T13:28:00.002+11:002010-10-16T13:28:00.094+11:00

As you are probably aware, Stampin' Up! have changed the In Color timetable ... now we have five new colours, but they will be available for two years. Next year, another five new colours will be introduced, also available for two years. So there will always be ten In Colors, with half being replaced each year.Confused yet?Just sit back and enjoy this combination of some of the new crop of

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-7387136320980420482010-10-14T13:24:00.004+11:002010-10-15T08:58:09.266+11:00

More birthday cards, this time for my sister-in-law. I'm still loving the colour combination here and had a few butterflies left over from that cutting session, so I turned the whole thing around and made this.Happy birthday, Sophie!Supplies used:Stamp/s: Perfect PunchesInk: Rich RazzleberryCardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Melon MamboOther: Beautiful

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-66420354513442137842010-10-12T13:16:00.003+11:002010-10-12T13:24:25.692+11:00

I had some birthday cards to make the other night (hopefully they have reached their destinations by now!) and needed some inspiration to get me started. Of course, Splitcoast Stampers obliged, and this card in particular caught my eye. Something about the layout appealed to me, so I sat down to make my own interpretation.I really like how this came out (hope Lisa likes it also). And I finally

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-69194019271918271732010-10-04T20:56:00.000+11:002010-10-04T20:56:00.535+11:00

As you may know, Stampin' Up! Classic Inks are dye based, which means that they will run when wet. Usually you try to keep your work dry and avoid this, but sometimes it can be exactly what you need for your project.Here, for example, I have stamped the big rose from Fifth Avenue Floral onto watercolour paper which was sprayed with water beforehand. The Regal Rose ink immediately bled out

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-83203782284542267202010-10-02T20:40:00.000+10:002011-09-08T22:53:46.611+10:00

Okay, so now we've all seen the Owl Punch - and he really is too cute. I finally made a card incorporating my little penguin - the icebergs are made with Stampin' Up!'s vellum cardstock, glued over a piece of Baja Breeze card which I tore and sponged to look a little like the sea. He needs a greeting, but that is something I will add when I decide who he's being posted to. Supplies used:

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-88863380708437549812010-09-30T16:18:00.002+10:002011-09-08T22:53:36.076+10:00

I finally got around to using the little owl I made the other day, turning him into a cute birthday greeting. I used the Two Step Bird Punch for the branch, otherwise he would have been floating in mid air. Of course, this means the branch is floating ... now I'm overthinking things LOL. If it was truly realistic, the owl's heart would be on the inside, for a start. This is a card the guests

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-5452500351493357472010-09-28T20:32:00.003+10:002010-09-28T20:32:00.129+10:00

This card is directly inspired by a swap I received at our Stampin' Up! Convention in Canberra last year. The original was created by Nikki Stalker, and has been sitting at the back of my mind as something I would like to create for all this time.This is my version, using some updated colours. I love the combination of Rich Razzleberry and Baja Breeze, with a little Daffodil Delight thrown

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-74236701882682722992010-09-26T20:25:00.005+10:002010-09-26T20:32:37.157+10:00

Did you know that purple, blue and green could look so good together? Well, they do when you use these particular shades, anyway.Here I have combined two new In Colors, Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz with an old faithful, Bashful Blue. It's kind of hard to see the Concord Crush properly - it is a dark blue-purple colour, very rich, and one I hope to use a lot over the next two years.Supplies

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-57221001574879052682010-09-25T21:00:00.000+10:002010-09-25T21:00:00.190+10:00

No photograph can do justice to the beauty of this colour. Cherry Cobbler, one of the new core colours, is a deep, rich, velvety red - almost a burgundy - and just blows me away every time I see it. The picture here just doesn't show its true beauty *sigh*.Supplies used:Stamp/s: Medallion, Trendy TreesInk: Cherry CobblerCardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Cherry CobblerOther: Very Vanilla 1/4

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-30745474476633149562010-09-19T20:07:00.000+10:002010-09-19T20:07:00.602+10:00

Some more new goodies, and no stamping in sight!Amongst other things in the 2010-11 Idea Book & Catalogue, we have a range of new Big Shot dies and accessories to play with, some of which are shown here.The butterflies are cut and embossed using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit die - this nifty little gadget will cut your shape and emboss it at the same time. The die comes with five different sized

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-5035826050899582092010-09-17T20:18:00.007+10:002011-09-08T22:53:16.111+10:00

One of the first things I *had* to have from the new 2010-11 Idea Book & Catalogue was the Two Step Owl Punch (page 146). The punch itself doesn't look like much, but once you do a bit of creative punching and gluing, you get this little guy - how adorable is this? He's only little, too - a hair under 3.5cm from the top of his head to his butt (not counting ears or feet). It's hard to tell

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-6135225774698935042010-09-12T11:37:00.001+10:002010-09-12T11:37:00.742+10:00

Here's something a made a while back, but never quite got around to photographing for the blog. It was super quick and easy to make, I have to say.The flowers are just punched out of Pretty in Pink and Melon Mambo cardstock and layerd onto the branches of the little stamp from Pocket Silhouettes. I have also used the same stamp a couple of times at the bottom left of the base card and the pink

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-45931594204230316012010-09-10T11:32:00.000+10:002010-09-10T11:32:00.683+10:00

Recently I posted about rediscovering an old favourite stamp set, Always. I had a ball making new cards with the set, trying out this and that to see what worked. Here's one from that session I didn't get around to posting.Usually I will use pinks and warm colours with this particular stamp, but I wanted to break away from that - managed pretty well here, I think *g*!Images © 1990-2010 Stampin'

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-3099367096899473102010-09-08T11:26:00.001+10:002010-09-08T11:26:00.646+10:00

Still lovin' this stamp set. See how versatile it is? It can be vibrant and colourful. It can be coloured with markers before stamping (hmmm, I don't seem to have a sample of that - better fix this situation soon *g*). It can be dramatic. Or it can be simple, as shown here.All I've done is stamped the flowers twice in Versamark, embossed in white and layered onto Night of Navy and Crumb

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-9038545872362378302010-09-06T11:14:00.000+10:002010-09-06T11:14:00.267+10:00

If you've had a chance to flick through your copy of the new Idea Book & Catalogue, or checked it out online, you might see that some of the stamp sets are a little familiar.This time around, we have a number of sets returning from the previous year's Mini Catalogues, including this one, which I love.It's called I {heart} Hearts, and consists of ... well, hearts. Ten of them to be exact (three

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-551696443964978808.post-84206020196235875442010-09-04T10:59:00.003+10:002010-09-04T11:11:09.192+10:00

So I have placed my first order from the NEW Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue, and of course I want it right now, if not sooner. Unfortunately, it has to be picked, shipped and delivered before I can play with my new goodies.In the meantime, here's a card I made, again using the new catalogue as inspiration - the original is on page 74, if you happen to have yours handy.These cute little

Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08333697045915687945noreply@blogger.com0