Thank you card

Card: rich razzleberry, wisteria wonder, whisper white
Ink: rich razzleberry, wisteria wonder
Stamp sets: just believe, so happy for you
Accessories: brayer, wisteria wonder ruffled ribbon, pearls

I was asked to create a thank you card for someone a few weeks ago. It was to thank a lady for having a group of friends (myself and my sister, included) around at her place to admire the christmas decorations she had put up in her home. This particular lady loves Christmas and it was a thrill to experience her amazing decorations with a group of friends a few weeks back.

I love how this card has come up - there's my brayer again! And I'm loving my new stamp set, Just Believe. I'm in awe of how the largest stamp can take up so much room on a card! On my project, I teamed up rich razzleberry with wisteria wonder, and the pearls just add that "wow" factor to the project. I added a white panel inside by stamping the smaller bunch of leaves from the 'Just Believe' stamp set in one bottom corner. Beautiful! The grateful recipient loved it :-)

I'm not sure when I'm going to get the chance to post again in the next few weeks, but want to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year, and look forward to seeing you back here soon! I haven't forgotten my readers, or my blog - it's just been so busy to do much stamping. But I do have some exciting projects lined up, that I have been working on, to share with you when I get the chance to take pics, so stay tuned...

Extravaganza!!

The Stampin' Up! team I am part of, Paper Divas, put on an all-day extravaganza for some of our clients, and you can see the lovely Paula and Rhonda doing their thing... We had a lot of fun and I'm pretty sure the ladies had a fabulous day getting creative!

I suprised myself by teaching a scrapbook page, and doing a WOW with the embossing resist technique - love, love, love! Really enjoyed showing the ladies some tips and tricks that I've learnt and passing on what I love doing - that's what Stampin' Up! is all about, after all :-)

On to preparing for a market this coming Sunday, here in Miramar, called Crafttea. Come along and have some afternoon tea and shop for those last-minute Christmas gifts!

JAI Challenge - bah humbug!

Card: real red, early expresso, whisper white, confetti white
Ink: real red, early expresso
Stamp set: just believe, contempo christmas
Accessories: brayer, beautiful wings embosslit, big shot, rhinestones

Over at JAI this week, they have set an interesting challenge for this time of year! To create a christmas project without using christmas images - fortunately christmas sentiments were ok! I came up with this and I'm loving it!

My new Just Believe stamp set came just in the nick of time, and I can see this being used lots. Loving my brayer, and the confetti white cardstock, for a speckled look, which you can't really see well, but you can trust me when I say that it looks much better in real life!

Farewell gift

Card: cherry cobbler, blushing bride, whisper white

Ink: cherry cobbler, blushing bride

Stamp sets: strength and hope, because I care, so happy for you

Accessories: brayer, sponge, white embossing powder, versamark, heat gun, cherry cobbler 1/2" scallop dots ribbon, scallop trim border punch, candle, tissue paper, whisper white organza ribbon, pearls

My sister wanted to create a farewell gift for a work colleague, so I helped her decorate a candle and make an easel card. It was lots of fun to create with her, and it looked she was enjoying the process of making something beautiful. I've had word that the recipient loved it!

Wedding card

Card: night of navy, basic black, whisper white
Ink: night of navy, basic black, marina mist
Stamp set: delicate doilies, well scripted
Accessories: white embossing powder, versamark, pearls, whisper white 5/8 organza ribbon

A work colleague got married yesterday, and I pulled this card together for my work team to sign and give to the happy couple. It's half an A4 size, so there was plenty of room for everyone to sign it. I knew the bride was going to have black trim on her dress, and that the bridesmaids dresses were going to be blue, so I used those colours as the basis of the card. I white embossed the sentiment on blasic black card, and it just popped! I added some printing paper (white) to the inside to make it look professional, and for writing on as night of navy is so dark to write on, and finished it off with pearls. I love it!

The actual wedding service was lovely, and most of my work team managed to make it to the ceremony, which was special. Wishing you all the very best Michael and Keri-Ann!

Elegance on a card!

Card: blushing bride, cherry cobbler, whisper white
Ink: cherry cobbler
Stamp set: delicate doilies,
Accessories: sponge, cherry cobbler 1/4" scalloped dot ribbon, pearl

A good friend had a birthday this past weekend, and as I had already made this up, I decided to pass it on - she loved it, even though it was late!

I'm loving a new technique I have just discovered - emboss resist. I embossed the doily image in clear embossing powder, and then sponged over it in cherry cobbler. It doesn't look too great when you sponge over it, but when you wipe the image with a tissue, the clear embossed image really stands out - WOW! I love how this has come out. It looks so elegant and pretty without too much work or stress - loving it! The polka dot ribbon and the pearl add that extra touch of elegance and lift the card.

Book a workshop with me and you can learn how to WOW your friends. You can even have fun at the same time!

Another birthday card...

Card: poppy parade, blushing bride, whisper white, poppy parade DSP
Ink: poppy parade, blushing bride
Stamp set: delicate doilies
Accessories: pearls, poppy parade 1/4" stitched-poly ribbon

This was another card that I sent to Mum for her birthday. My sister and I just had to send one each, but I ended up making both of them! I love the new delicate doilies stamp set, and it works really well with my favourite colours - yay! The pearls finish it off nicely.

Don't forget this month's promotion on the big shot and selected die cuts -you won't want to miss this one! Check out the link on the right to find out more!

Happy Birthday Mum!

Card: concord crush, pear pizzaz, whisper white
Ink: concord crush, pear pizzaz
Stamp set: pocket sillouttes, create a cupcake
Accessories: scallop trim border punch, concord cruch 1/2" stitched-poly ribbon, brayer

I know, I know...it's been ages! But I'm back! Yay!

My very special Mum had a birthday a few weeks ago, and while I had a gift for her, it took me awhile to decide on a card to make. I was really pleased with how this came out - I think it was a sketch I had for a challenge, but didn't have the chance to submit it to the challenge... I love my brayer, and the colour combo is just delish! Mum loved it, too!

JAI Challenge

Card: cherry cobbler, basic black, pumpkin pie, whisper white

Ink: cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, basic black

Stamp set: delicate doilies, well scripted

Accessories: brayer, cherry cobbler 1/2" scallop dots ribbon, rhinestone

The weekly challenger over at JAI was an inspiration challenge - using a beautiful picture to inspire your project. I decided to use the rich oranges and reds of the picture to inspire this card. I'm loving cherry cobbler right now, and teamed up with pumpkin pie and basic black, this didn't take too long to pull together.

You can learn how I made this card by booking a workshop with me!

All pretty in pink

Card: blushing bride, whisper white
Ink: blushing bride, rich razzleberry
Stamp set: delicate doilies, punch bunch
Accessories: scallop trim border punch, beautiful wing embosslit, big shot, rhinestones, dazzling diamonds, vanilla spooch spritz, perfect polka dots embossing folder, sponge

Over at HSS this week, the challenge was to think pink for breast cancer awareness month (in the States, I think)... except, that I've missed posting my image on time - sigh! But I thought I'd add it here anyway for you to enjoy.

You can't really see the spooch spritz, but it gives a lovely shine and glimmer to the card. It gives it a sort of elegance and sophistication, I think... I'm liking blushing bride and rich razzleberry together - may have to use this colour combo again!

Work colleague birthday card

Card: real read, very vanilla, early expresso

Ink: real red, early expresso

Stamp set: strength and hope

Other: 1-1/4" real red striped grosgrain ribbon, rhinestones

One of my work colleagues had a birthday this past weekend, and I wanted to make her a card for the whole team to sign. This is a full A4 piece of cardstock folded in half, so it's quite big! I was going to sponge the edges and make it look shabby, but I really like the clean look. The birthday girl loved it!

HSS Challenge - easel card

Card: cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, concord crush

Ink: cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, concord crush

Stamp sets: delicate doilies, well scripted

Other: brayer, beautiful wings embosslit, big shot, scallop trim border punch, concord crush 1/4" striped-poly ribbon

Over at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week was a colour challenge. I didn't have one of the colours so I substituted another similar one - I'm hoping that I won't be disqualified!

I didn't have any night of navy cardstock (I used concord crush instead), but I love this project, and it's detail. I decided to make an easel card, and use my brayer to add colour, and I'm stoked with how this has come out. The picture doesn't really do it justice, but hope you like it!

Delicate butterfly

Card: poppy parade, island indigo, whisper white
Ink: poppy parade, island indigo
Stamp set: delicate doilies
Other: poppy parade 1/4" striped-poly ribbon, beautiful wings embosslit, big shot, scallop circle punch

I was planning on submitting this project to a sketch challenge, but I was too late by the time I had finished it... Anyway, I love the new In Colour, Island Indigo, and I think it looks fab teamed up with poppy parade. The sketch that we were given for the challenge wasn't the easiest to work with, but I quite like how this turned out in the end.

If you would like to learn how I made this card, contact me to book a workshop and I can show you how. Add a few of your friends, and you've got the recipe for some fun time out!

Beautiful Blue!

Card: concord crush, marina mist
Ink: concord crusth, marina mist marker
Stamp set: punch bunch
DSP: concord crush, in colour pattern stack
Other: 1/2" stitched-poly ribbon - concord crush, square lattice embossing folder, big shot, scallop trim border punch, beautiful wings embosslit, rhinestone

I pulled this card together for a sketch challenge recently, but I was too late to upload it, so I decided to keep it for a time when there's not much happening on my blog...!

I'm loving concord crush and marina mist as a colour combination - I know I go on about loving different colour combos, but that's just what my passion is right now :-) I'm also loving the texture on the embossed DSP - yes, I've embossed DSP! You'll have to take it from me that it looks pretty amazing in real life!

JAI Colour Challenge

Card: crumb cake, pool party, calypso coral, whisper white
Ink: calypso coral, pool party
Stamp set: pocket sillouttes
Other: brayer, perfect polka dots embossing folder, big shot, beautiful wings embosslit

The challenge at JAI this week was a colour challenge, using two of the new In Colours this year. I'm loving the calypso coral and pool party together! They just come alive when you team them up with crumb cake and/or whisper white.

I've used my brayer here, which hasn't seen ink for a wee while... And the embossing creates an elegant, soft background for the brayered art work. Butterflies are definitely "in" right now, so I couldn't resist a few to accent the scene. Check out the other projects that have been posted for this challenge for even more inspiration!

Thinking of you

Card: old olive, rich razzleberry, marina mist, whisper white

Ink: old olive, marina mist marker

Stamp set: so happy for you

Other: 1/4" satin rich razzleberry ribbon, vintage wallpaper embossing folder, big shot

A few months ago, a friend of mine had a workplace accident, sustained a head injury, and had surgery... She was in hospital for about a week, but I thought she could do with some cheering up. I had put this card together for my sample board, but felt it was for her, so I sent it along with some folks that were visiting her. She loved it, even though she couldn't really see much as her glasses got broken and she had lots of swelling...

At first, I was unsure about the marina mist with the old olive and rich razzleberry, but I love how this has turned out! Some fussy-cutting and embossing to give it some texture, and viola! I can't remember if I've CASED this from somewhere/someone, but I love the design and I think I'll be using it again...

It's all about Christmas!

Card: old olive, real red, very vanilla

Stamp set: seasons of joy

Ink: old olive, real red

Other: vintage wallpaper embossing folder, big shot, decorative label punch, 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon (real red), 5/8" grosgrain ribbon (real red), rhinestones, sponge

Over at Craft Room Challenge, the current challenge was anything Christmas. I love Christmas, and couldn't resist playing along!

I have embossed the background panel, fussy-cut my tree, cut and frayed my striped ribbon, and added some rhinestones for some bling. Not my most favourite project, but I love the effect of the frayed ribbon (learnt that trick at the recent Day Out in Auckland...). Another card to add to my growing pile of Christmas cards - yay!

SUO Challenge - fall colours

Card: crumb cake, early expresso, daffodil delight, poppy parade, very vanila
Ink: early expresso, soft suede, poppy parade, real red
Stamp set: bliss, because I care
Other: petals-a-plenty embossing folder, beautiful butterlies embosslit, big shot, sponges, scallop circle punch, decorative lable punch, early expresso 1/1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon

Over at SU Only Challenges, they had a fall-themed challenge, and this was my take on the challenge. I've rushed to do this before it closes, but hope you like it! Loving the way the colours have come together with the masking...

Will be posting more pojects through the week, so stay tuned!

JAI challenge - Just add baby!

Card: blushing bride, whisper white
Ink: blushing bride marker, blushing bride, basic black
Stamp set: baby bundle, delicate doilies
Other: dazzling diamonds, 5/8" organza ribbon

I played along at JAI this week with their just add baby challenge. While I was at a fellow demonstrator's place at the weekend, I pulled this card together using some of her products. I didn't have any baby stamps, so I used her baby bundle set and the pram was too cute not to ink up! I also used the new delicate doilies stamp set, which turned up that morning - didn't take me long to ink those up...a warning: you'll be seeing lots more of this stamp set!

I love the easal card fold, and the soft colours of this project. If you would like to learn how to make an easal card, contact me and book a workshop so you and some friends can make yours!

Autumn theme challenge

Card: early expresso, old olive, crumb cake, very vanilla, autumn spice DSP

Stamp: so many thanks, lovely as a tree

Ink: early expresso, crumb cake marker

Other: early expresso 1-1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon, sponge, 2-step bird extra-large punch

I had the chance to enjoy some creative time with another demonstrator over the weekend, and we had fun using each other's products - that's the beauty of being in a team; if you don't have something, you can ask around and you can get to play with things you haven't got!

Anyway, I pulled this card together for the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, using some of the product that my fellow-demonstrator had. The bird punch is very cool, and the Lovely as a tree stamp set is gorgeous! The challenge was to create a project that was inspired by autumn, or fall. I love autunm and the amazing colours of the season, so this challenge was a no-brainer to enter.

JAI Colour Challenge

Card: marina mist, whisper white
Ink: marina mist
Stamp set: strength and hope
Other: sponge, rhinestone

Over at JAI, this week's challenge was a colour challenge - white and one colour of your choice! I chose marina mist (my current favourite!) and came up with this project.

It's quite simple, but I love the sponging and repeated sentiment stamped on the background whisper white. I layered up the background and butterfly for an elegant, pretty look. I love marina mist with whisper white and just had to put these colours together! If I happen to give this card away, I'll put a whisper white panel inside with a sentiment...

Sketch challenge

Card: poppy parade, blushing bride, whisper white
Ink: poppy parade
Stamp set: punch bunch
DSP: In colour paper patterns pack (poppy parade)
Other: 1/2" stitched-poly ribbion (poppy parade), perfect polka dots embossing folder, big shot, 1-3/4" scallop ciricle punch, pearl

Over at Try Stampin' On Tuesday, they have a sketch challenge this week. I pulled this card together pretty quickly using some of my favourite colours - poppy parade and blushing bride. This is a slightly different shape than what I usually use, so it was fun to give this challenge a go!

This is quite a simple card to demo or use in a workshop, so I'm going to be keeping the sketch idea for my next workshop.

JAI sketch challenge

Card: island indigo, pool party, calypso coral, whisper white
Ink: calypso coral
Stamp set: bliss, pocket sillouttes
Other: linen thread, perfect polka dots embossing folder, beautiful wings embosslit, sweet buttons embosslit, big shot, scallop trim border punch, scallop ciricle punch, sponge

Here is my take on this weeks JAI Challenge - a sketch. Follow the link to see what the amazing design team dreamed up this week! I found it quite hard to bring this card together by only using the materials and tools I have from Stampin' Up! but it proves it can be done...after all, I am creative!

Loving the new In Colours - these are my favourite! The island indigo and calypso coral work so well together. I sponged the whisper white and the scallop circle punch with calypso coral to highlight the edges and to give a bit of a shabby look. I used a button from the sweet button embosslit (gotta love this cute embosslit when you don't have buttons!) and wound linen thread around the middle of the biggest butterfly for some detail and texture.

Try stamping on Tuesday challenge no.30

Card: daffodil delight, whisper white, melon mambo DSP
Stamp set: punch bunch
Other: daffodil delight marker, icecream parlor ribbon, icecream parlor buttons, 1 3/4" scallop circle punch, perfect polka dot embossing folder, big shot

Over at Try Stampin' on Tuesday this week, there was a sketch challenge that I had to try out. I had a hard time working out my colour combo, but decided on daffodil delight and melon mambo to go with the icecream parlor ribbon. Problem was, I only had a marker in daffodil delight as my ink base to work with...but we got there, with a fun result! I think this card looks cherry, clean & simple, and altogether fun!

Masking challenge

Card: concord crush, marina mist
Ink: concord crush, marina mist
Stamp set: bliss
Other: concord crush 1/2" stitched-poly ribbon, dazzling diamonds

Over at Craft Room Challenge, it's all about masking... Here's my take on the challenge. This technique is soooo effective, and looks amazing! Thanks for the inspiration DT!

I loved how this card has come out (I tend to be bias with my own work, but isn't this always the case?!). The colours, masking, sponging and dazzling diamonds on the butterfly have all come together nicely... The photo doesn't do it justice, though - the middle square doesn't look "off balance" in real life, like it does in the photo. I think it might have been my poor photography skills... I'll definitely be trying this technique again!

Birthday Card

Card: wisteria wonder, rich razzleberry, whisper white
Ink: wisteria wonder, rich razzleberry
Stamp set: pocket sillouttes, so happy for you
Other: brayer, beautiful wings emboslit, big shot

A good friend had a birthday last week, and as she is a scrapbooker, I just had to make a handmade card for her... Love, love, love this colour combo! This looks better in real life, but hopefully you see the elegance and femininity of the scene - I think it looks gorgeous!

I also stamped a whisper white panel for the inside, and punched the bottom edge with my scallop trim border punch. My friend loved the card, which was the main thing!

Big Day Out swap

Card: early expresso, real red, pear pizzazz, whisper white
Stamp set: season of joy
Ink: pear pizzazz, real red, early expresso
Ribbon: real red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon
Other: vintage wallpaper embossing folder, big shot, brayer, sponge, brayer, basic rhinestones

Part of getting together with other demonstrators is to swap projects for cool ideas and inspiration. This was my swap that I took along to the Big Day Out in Auckland last Saturday. I was really pleased with how it came out and I received some amazing swaps in return! Lots of ideas to try and inspiration gallore - my happy place!

The photo is not the best - I forgot to take a shot before I handed them all out (I also forgot to keep one back for myself - doh! I'll have to create one just for me!) and this has come off a shot I took of a whole bunch of swaps that were displayed on the day. A bit grainy, but hopefully you'll still be able to see the detail. Much better in real life!

Big Day Out!

I know it's been awhile, but I'm back...! Just this past weekend, I had lots of fun in Auckland at the Big Day Out, with 150 other demonstrators - fantastic! This is me with my upline Paula, and team member, Debi, and my "up upline", Jacquelyn. Thanks for a fab day!

White on white challenge

Card: whisper white
Stamp set: because I care
Ink: versamark
Other: clear embossing powder, dazzling diamonds, petals-a-plenty embossing folder, big shot, basic pearls, decorative label punch

I decided to play along this week at Craft Room with their White on white challenge. The design team at Craft Room are soooo talented! Check them out for some amazing ideas!

Love how this card has come out, but not so happy about the awful lighting we've been having (due to the weather!) to take this kind of shot... The tag at the bottom of the card has been clear embossed with the 'because I care' stamp. I'm definitely going to use white on white again - it's so elegant and pure!

Just add tearing/distressing

Card: rich razzleberry, concord crush, whisper white
Stamps: because I care (hostess stamp set)
Ink: basic blac, rich razzleberry, old olive
Other: clear embossing powder, heat tool, 1/4" poly-striped ribbon - concord crush

I decided to play along with the challenge at Just Add Ink this week. The JAI team challenged us to add tearing or distressing to our project, which I just love to add some texture and depth.

I don't have my staz-on ink pad yet (coming in my next order!), so I had to use my basic black ink pad, and clear emboss it so I could lightly water-colour the image. I had lots of fun, and the effect was "seriously cool"! The photo hasn't come out very well, and certainly doesn't do it justice, but there is a bit of distressing on all of the panels, and the 'thank you' sentiment finishes it off nicely.

Movie night

Card: daffodil delight, dsp patterns stack - brights (melon mambo), pear pizazz, whisper white
Ink: pear pizazz
Stamps: defining alphabet, sweet summber (SAB)
Other: decorative label punch, top note die, big shot, ice cream parlour button & ribbon bundle

This is another quick (ish!) layout I finished off a few weeks ago... Loving the bright, cheery colours!

Going to see this movie was a memory I wanted to perserve, so I thought the flyer that I picked up at my new local movie theatre (The Roxy) in Miramar was the best way to put this memory onto a layout as I didn't take any photos of the evening. I think the layout captures the memories of the film and the enjoyment of the evening nicely!

Leaves of Norway layout

Card: autumn spice dsp, crumb cake, early expresso, very vanilla, old olive, pumpkin pie
Stamp: defining alphabet, sweet shoppe lower alphabet, bliss
Ink: early expresso, soft suade
Ribbon: early expresso 1-1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon
Other: scallop trim border punch, decorative label punch, sweet button emboslit, big shot, white gel pen

I have had my pack of autumn spice dsp from the current mini catalogue sitting around for quite some time and finally decided to use a page for it's rich, earthy tones. I found these leaves that I had picked up and pressed on a trip to Norway almost 2 years ago now (shhh, don't tell customs!) and just had to put them together with the autumn spice dsp.

After lots of sponging and moving the elements around, I'm pretty happy with the layout. What do you think?

So pretty in pink!

Card: crumb cake, blushing bride, whisper white
DSP: in colour stack - blushing bride
Ink: blushing bride
Stamps: cottage garden
Other: linen thread, dazzling diamonds, perfect polka dots embossing folder, big shot

I decided to have a go at this week's JAI challenge - a sketch! I had fun deciding on the colour combo and the flower stamp, but couldn't decide how to interpret the sketch. I ended up CASEing the sketch almost directly...

I love the perfect polka dot embossing, the delicate feel of the dsp, and of course, the dazzling diamonds on the flower. I think this card looks very feminine and elegant. I have included a panel inside the card with a sentiment and I'm hoping I'll be able to pass it on when the occassion arises.

JAI Inspiration

Card: marina mist, whisper white
Stamp: pocket sillouttes
DSP: patterns DSP stack - brights (melon mambo)
Other: marina mist write marker, square lattice embossing folder, beautiful wings embosslit, big shot, rhinestones, melon mambo button (from the current ribbon & button bundel promotion)

I had a hard time deciding on my project for the current JAI challenge. I knew I wanted to try this uniquely folded card, but deciding on the colour combo for the challenge was difficult! I toyed with doing a sandy/neutral combo with a splash of colour, but decided on marina mist, melon mambo & whisper white. The colours go so well together - I'll definitely be trying this combo out again!

For this card, I've inlaid embossed the front panel and attached the biggest butterfly with dimensionals to give it some depth. The reverse side of the dsp was striped, so I've included that inside to write a thank you message. Hope you like it!

Dazzling butterfly card

Card: concord crush, real red, whisper white
Ink: concord crush, real rad
Stamp: strength & hope
Other: dazzling diamonds

I ordered the very special Strength & Hope stamp set in my last order and decided to ink it up for another unique-fold card. It took me awhile to work out how to fold this one, but I wanted it to highlight all of the stamps in the set. The actual card folds out like an origami puzzle...

I have used all four stamps in this stamp set: the words have been stamped repeatedly on the real red panels on each side (but you can't see this in the photo); the swirl & heart stamp has been stamped on the whisper white (I repeated the stamping without re-inking the stamp between each stamp); the H:hope stamp has been stamped on the square panel of real red in the centre, and of course, the butterfly has pride of place in the center, with a touch of dazzling diamonds - the sparkle/dazzle just makes this card pop!

I have added a square panel of whisper white on the inside (centre square portion) of this card for a special message.

Stampin Up! is donating $2 for every purchase of this stamp set to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, but it is only available until the end of July. Contact me to get yours today!

It's all about chocolate!

Card: blushing bride, early expresso, very vanila
Ink: early expresso
Stamp: eat chocolate (mini)
Other: early expresso 1-1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon, perfect polka dots embossing folder, square lattice embossing folder, big shot, dazzling daimonds, decorative label punch

I finally had to order the Eat Chocolate stamp set (from the current mini catalogue), with the decorative label punch, and it arrived just the other day. Of course, I had to ink up one of the stamps... Love the brown and pink combo here - it's becoming a firm favourite of mine! There is dazzling diamonds on top of the cupcakes, but this hasn't come out to well in the photo, but the sparkle is definitely there!

There are only 17 days left to order from the current mini catalogue (see the link on the right), including this stamp set, so contact me to order yours today! And if you spend $120, you will also receive a free ribbon and button bundle (see the details link on the right).

Easel card

Card: old olive, rich razzleberry, whisper white, rich razzleberry dsp
Ink: old olive, rich razzleberry
Stamps: because I care, silhouette sentiments
Other: sponge, scallop trim border punch, rhinestones, rich razzleberry ribbon

This is my first attempt at an easel card - I got inspired by last week's JAI challenge and decided to try out one of the pretty folds that the designers presented. I was too late to enter the challenge, but wanted to give it a go, anyway.

I sponged the whisper white panels on one edge (and made this the top for the front and the bottom for the inside), stamped the flower image randomly across the bottom, then stamped the sentiment towards the top. I placed a strip of card (punched with the scallop border punch) across the bottom of the inside panel to keep the top part up and to create the easel. Ribbon and rhinestones finish it off!

I love the way the easal card is a little interactive, but can also fold away to give to someone, or to send to someone special. What do you think?

Birthday card

Card: blushing bride, poppy parade, whisper white, poppy parade DSP
Ink: poppy parade, blushing bride
Stamps: create a cupcake
Ribbon: poppy parade 1/2"stitched-poly ribbon
Other: big shot, perfect polka dots embossing folder, square lattice embossing folder, dazzling diamonds

I decided to enter this week's JAI challenge - a sketch! I embossed DSP, gave my big shot quite a work-out, and just had to add some dazzling diamonds... What do you think?

I know I'm using my favourite colour combo here - again! - but I had fun with this, and love the texture of the embossing. The sketch was pretty simple, but for this card, I think less is more. It was the first time I had imbossed DSP, and I quite like the result - I'm pretty sure I'll have to try this again sometime :-)

Quilt card

Card: whispher white, riding hood red, more mustard
DSP: unknown (retired?)
Ink: ridng hood red
Stamp: unknown (from a mini?)
Ribbon: whisper white 5/8" satin ribbon
Other: anywhere glue stick

This was my first try at a quilt card, and loved the results. I'm definitely going to use this technique again, thanks to my upline, Paula! It's really quite simple with a little practice, and some anywhere glue stick for perfect "movability" of the tiny strips of DSP.

I had lots of fun with this, and if you want to have some fun and learn how, contact me to book a workshop!

More butterflies!

I love the inlaid embossing technique, and I came up with this card the other day:

Card: poppy parade, blushing bride, whisper white
Ink: poppy parade
Stamps: pocket sillouttes
Ribbon: poppy parade 1/2" stitched-poly ribbon
Embossing folders: framed tulips (autumn mini), square latttice (summer mini), beautiful wings embosslit
Other: big shot, tombow, pearls

I wasn't too sure how this would turn out, but I love all the texture and I was pretty happy with the results! My big shot has definitely been put to work lately...! This card doesn't have a sentiment, but I'm thinking I'll add a panel of stamped whisper white inside with a sentiment and a scallop trim border (at the bottom) to finish it off. What do you think?

Butterflies, butterflies...

Card: basic black, whisper white
Ink: basic black
Stamp: cottage garden
Embossing folders: vintage wallpaper, textured impressions (summer mini), beautiful wings embosslit
Other: top note die cut,big shot, rhinestones

This was my entry for the current JAI challenge - a colour combo challenge of black and white. It was a fairly simple challenge, but I used lots of texture here, and used a technique that the lovely Paula taught at a class last weekend - inlaid embossing. Loving it!

I embossed the first layer with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder, and ran my basic black ink pad over it to highlight the texture - pretty cool! Then I layered black and white top notes (I trimmed the white top note so the black die cut could show through). On the wite top note, I stamped the sentiment and adhered the small black butterflies, then embossed the whole top note to create the inlaid embossing. The big butterfly was dimensionalised and the rhinestones were added for some bling.

I don't usually use black as the base for a card (you have to use a white gel pen or something similar to write in it!) but I love how this turned out.

Layout pleasure...

Remember the Care Bears??! Mum made my sister and I one each for Christmas back in 1986, and we've obviously hung on to them... Mum wanted some photos awhile back to show someone that didn't believe she had actually handemade them! I just had to do a layout with the photos:

Card: real red dsp, real red, crumb cake, concord crush
Ink: soft suede, real read
Stamps: defining alphabet
Other: concord crush 1/2" stitiched-poly ribbon, pearls, beautiful wings embosslit, big shot, sponge, decorative lable punch, black pen

I love the butterflies on here - I wanted to get a cloud/heavenly look, but the sponging on the crumb cake looks cool, even if you can't really see it in the photo!

And don't forget the amazing hostess promotion currently running until the end of June. Contact me to book your workshop to make the most of this opportunity!

Thank you cards

The other night I made some thank you cards... You can never have enough on hand! My new favourite colour combo is Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Blushing Bride.

Card: crumb cake, very vanilla, chocolate chip, blushing bride
Ink: chocolate chip
Stamps: pocket sillouttes
Other: pearls, perfect polka dots embossing folder, beautiful wings embosslits, big shot

Really easy to make, and the texture of the embossing just finishes these wee cards. I've run my fingernail around the very vanilla panels to distress the edges, but I know Stampin Up! sell the Cutter Kit that includes a distressing tool... All great fun!

Little treats

Someone at work was leaving the other day, so I decided to make a wee card for her, then another work colleague was having a rough day, so I thought I would cheer her up with a wee card...as you do! It was lots of fun surprising these lovely people!

I just had to go with my favourite colour combo again (poppy parade and blushing bride):


Here is a close-up of the first card for the colleague who was leaving:


And the second card for the colleague who needed cheering up:

Card: poppy parade, blushing bride, whisper white
Ink: poppy parade, blushing bride
Stamps: Pocket Silhouetted, Create a cupcake
Other: brayer, linen thread, beautiful wings embosslit, top not die-cut, big shot, pearls, dazzling diamonds

For the first card, I brayered (gotta love it!) poppy parade on whisper white, stamped the flower images, used the embosslit to make the butterfly, and wrapped it all up with linen thread.

For the second card, I made a top note and cut it in half, stamped & cut out the cupcake images, and dazzled the cherry with dazzling diamonds to finish it off.

If you want to learn how to make these cards, contact me to book a workshop and earn lots of hostess benefits, too!

Fun with my brayer

I decided to have a play with my brayer, and loved the results:


Card: pear pizzazz, whisper white
Ink: pear pizzazz
Stamps: Cottage garden
DSP: pear pizzazz
Other: big shot, textured impressions embossing folder, brayer, pearls, scallop trim border punch

I brayered the embossing folder and then embossed whisper white card to get the really cool effect on top of the DSP. I also brayered the main artwork, and stamped the flower. I punched a border on the DSP at the bottom (you can't see it particularly well), and then I stamped the sentiment and layered it on pear pizzazz card. The pearls add the finishing touch.

I was going to enter this into a challenge for JAI, but I didn't have the rest of the colours for this week's challenge... Had lots of fun with it, though!

If you would like to learn how to brayer, contact me, and book a workshop and I can show you how!