Monday 31 March 2008

Open Home

















These were the make-n-takes for my farewell Penrith/open home. I just want to thank everyone who made it here, over 70 cards & bag-a-lopes were made WOW! imagine what they would look like all together!
I was overwhelmed by your well wishes, kind words, flowers & gorgeous cards you made -I feel very special! I just want to quote a bit from some of the cards, that really touched my heart & brought tears to my eyes.
Thankyou for the lovely inspiration.
I have cherished the time we have spent together.
Thankyou for sharing your wonderful talent with me.
Thankyou so much for everything, your generous & caring spirit.
Thankyou for you valuable help.
Thanks for introducing this enjoyable craft known as stamping, I enjoy this so much.
Thankyou for bringing the beauty of this craft into my life. You are stamped in my heart forever. (this one made me cry)
Most of all thankyou for your friendship. (I feel the same way)
I have gained so many beautiful friends since I started with Stampin' Up! & I am so thankful for meeting & getting to know you all, I am truly blessed to have your friendship & look forward to keeping you inspired with Stampin' Up!
I want to reply to each & everyone of you & will do when I have settled into my new home on the Gold Coast. But for now I just want to say, I feel appreciated, loved & am honoured you think so much of me, I tried my best to keep you all inspired & happy, thankyou from the bottom of my heart! xo

Thursday 27 March 2008

Looks Like Spring














How gorgeous is this card that my just as gorgeous, creative & so organised friend, (& also customer) Jen made. She is so talented & has a great eye for colour. Thankyou Jen, & I to will miss our weekly stamp day very much! Jen has chosen Sahara Sand as the card & added a strip of DS "Spring Flowers" (sadly retiring 31st March) paper. The large flower & little flowers from "Looks Like Spring" stamp set are stamped in Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana & Always Artichoke inks on white cardstock, she has cut the large flowers & punched the little ones, layered them with Soft Subtle Brads & adhered to card with Dimensionals. The saying is from "Sincere Salutation", one of Jen's favourites & I plan on ordering this one now, since my favourite saying stamp set "All Year Cheer 1" is retiring.

Monday 24 March 2008

Wild about you!














Happy about "Wild about you" not retiring!
These were one of the designs for my custom class last month, I meant to post sooner, but with the retired list out & the New Catalogue coming, I had forgotton all about these. Riveting is retiring, making way for new hostess sets, I will post a card soon featuring the new level 3 hostess set.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

Bleached Stem Silhouettes














News is out "Stem Silhouettes" will not be featured in the New Idea Book & Catalogue, along with "Warmest Regards" (level 1 hostess set) & my favourite In Colour, "Cool Caribbean". There are only a few sets from the current Summer Mini Catalogue that will be in the new catalogue; Bud Basics, Basic Outline wheel, Backyard BBQ, Carte Postale and Leaves a la Carte wheel. All the other stamps sets and papers will be retiring, so please let me know if there's anything you would like me to order before March 31!

You will need a household bleach a disposable container lid & some paper towel for this effect. Pour some bleach on the paper towel that is laid in the container to create a pad to bleach up your stamp. Wait for the bleach to take effect & dry before stamping another image ontop. The bleach will not damage your stamps, just be sure to clean the rubber thoroughly.

Monday 17 March 2008

Bunny Hugs treats














I'm making lots of these & just wanted to give you a little preview, as each time I complete 1 I give it away! I was hoping to get them done in many different colours for School before the end of the week, they are pretty simple & quick (except for the cutting out of the bunny & watercolouring/optional), the bags I used to hold the chocs in are small cello's, I made these by just measuring the bags & have the sizes written down, if you would like them pop me an email. The cnr rounder (guide off) is used for the scalloped edge & Spring Bouquet Flower punch for the flowered brad. The handheld punch will punch through all the layers to hold the pouch together with ribbon. If you like this set, you will need to order it before the end of the month as it will be retiring with the Summer Mini!

Polished Stone #2














Here is another card, made with the I sheet I "Polished Stoned", looks a bit religious I think, which is a good thing, as I often struggle with Christening, Communion etc cards, this can be used for numerous occassions though, don't you think?

Wednesday 12 March 2008

"Bunny Hugs" Summer Mini














Cute little Bunny! Spring Flowers papers & co-ordinating Cardstock, Spring Bouquet Flower Punch. Happy Easter is from "All Year Cheer 1" (retiring), watercolouring with inks & Aqua Painter. I don't send Easter Cards, but I will send this one to my sister who lives in Croatia.

Monday 10 March 2008

Polished Stone Carte Postale














Now that I have a collection of re-inkers & have had the time to play with this technique again (this time with a lot less mess) -I wrapped elastic bands on both edges of a spare rectangle woodblock to hold the cotton wool pads (2-3) & used it like I would a stamp, pretty clever I think! no inky fingers!!! So I will be trying out all those ink refills for colour combos.
You will need some Isocol (rubbing alcohol) ink refills & gloss cardstock.
Squirt some isocol on the pads & add a drop of 2 to 3 different coloured inks, It's hard to see on this pic but I also used Silver, then keepstamping this all over the Gloss cardstock until you achieve the desired look. I used Perfect Plum, Cool Caribbean & Silver metalic papers & inks, I embossed the images.
I will upload the others throughout the week as I actually Polish Stoned the whole A4sheet of Gloss card stock & have made 6 cards with it.

Monday 3 March 2008

Stem Silhouettes Faux Tiling


















There are many versions of faux tiling & I think the technique I went with for this card is the easiest & most effective. The Whisper White Card Stock is scored, sponged, stamped, then clear embossed. The colours are Not Quite Navy, Cool Caribbean & Certainly Celery. Stem Silhouettes is from the Summer Mini, available 'till the end of the month. This may be a set that makes it back in the 2008-2009 idea Book & Catalogue, I sure hope it does, it has proven to be very versatile & a favourite set of mine.