Friday, February 29, 2008
Going, Going, Gone!
Friendship Blooms was the most popular set with my customers, and with most people I think, since it went into back-order for a little while!
Here I've stamped the big flower in Chocolate Chip ink on Bordering Blue cardstock, and sponged it in Brocade Blue, and then filled in the middle of the petals with my white gel pen (I love that pen!)
I made the circle with the Round Tab punch. You punch out 2 Round tabs and join them together to form a circle. The sentiment is from Lots of Thoughts (another Sale-a-Bration set that I will miss), and I stamped it in Whisper White. To ink up just the tiny greeting, I stuck masking tape over the parts I didn't want, inked up my stamp, and then peeled off the tape.
I stamped the swirl on the top half of the card in Versamark ink, for a subtle watermark effect.
The colours I've used here are Mellow Moss, Bordering Blue, Chocolate Chip and Always Artichoke. I embellished with some Ribbon Originals and a Hodgepodge Hardware photo anchor.
Goodbye Sale-a-Bration...we'll miss you!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Happy Birthday to me!
A really quick and simple one for you today, since it's my birthday, and my hubby's due home from, OS any minute now...
I know, I know! I promise I really will take a break from blue and green soon!!
This is a tried-and-true layout that never fails. This Birthday Whimsy set makes really quick cards...no colouring in required! I've used the sentiment from the set, but inked up the word 'happy' first with markers and then cleaned my stamp, and then inked up 'birthday' and used the stamp-a-ma-jig to position it. Then it fits perfectly inside the small oval. The stamp-a-ma-jig really extends the versatility of your stamps!
The colours Ive used here (as if you couldn't guess) are Brocade Blue, Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Only 4 days to go!
Items are flying off the Retirement List too. If there's tons of stuff on the list that you just can't live without, how about this for a great way to get it all: Place an order for $300 by the end of February, and you will get 10% off all Retiring stamp sets and Accessories (so your $300 order will cost you substantially less than $300), plus 3 Sale-a-Bration sets, plus a Level 1 Hostess Set of your choice, plus $30 in free merchandise. Now that's got to be the best way to buy your stamps! Just email me to place your order, and I can even have it shipped straight to you.
Now, I'd better show you my last few Sale-a-Bration samples, before it's all over!
How's this for a fresh and pretty colour combination: Ballet Blue, Certainly Celery and Whisper white. I've used markers to ink up the swirl, so I could do the flowers blue and the swirly bit Celery. I stamped the large flower on a metal-edged tag in Ballet Blue, and then stamped one of the smaller flowers in the set in Celery and adhered it to the centre with a silver brad. The gorgeous Wide Celery ribbon has made an appearance again, and I adhered the metal-edged tag with Dimensionals to pop it up. Easy Peasy. I love letting a pretty colour combination and finely detailed stamped images do all the hard work for me!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Valentine doggy!
I used the Heart from "Simply Said" and 'kissed' it onto my Paisley Background stamp in Tempting Turquoise ink. So, now you're probably wondering why I was kissing stamps and not my husband .... Kissing is a technique where you ink up a Background stamp, and press another uninked stamp onto it, and then stamp onto your cardstock. I stamped the little word 'love' from Everyday flexible Phrases in Chocolate Chip ink on the heart. Next I stamped a label from 'Label Classics' (retiring set *sob!*) in Chocolate Chip and cut it out. Then I wanted some patterned paper in Tempting Turquoise and I couldn't find a thing that worked. So I used Teneale's genius idea of Brayering my Au Chocolat paper (that girl is sooo clever, I tell ya!) in Tempting Turquoise. There's lots of corner rounding going on with this card (another retiring product *double sob!*), and a piece of Tempting Turquoise ribbon (can you believe how much ribbon is retiring?? *triple sob!*)
Friday, February 22, 2008
Faux Tearing
Here's how to do it:
1. Tear a scrap of paper that is at least as long as your card. This will be your mask.
2. Lay the torn edge along your card where you would like your faux tear to be
3. Use sponge daubers and your inkpad to sponge along the torn edge
4. Move the mask up over the sponged edge a few mm and stamp or sponge the cardstock above the tear
Here I stamped with the Paisley Background above my faux tear. The colours I've used here are Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue and certainly Celery. The "Merci" Sale-a-Bration set is so lovely to watercolour!
So Long, Farewell... the Retirement List is Here!
To my customers, I am offering 10% off all Retiring Stamp Sets and Wheels. So, grab your catalogue and your wishlist to see what you just can't live without! And the great news is, if you place your order for $100 or more in February, you earn a FREE Sale-a-Bration set too.
If you receive my Newsletter, you should have your copy already, but if you would like a copy of the Retirement List, just email me now!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Back By Popular Demand!
In the kit you get everything you need to make these cards, which suit all occasions.
Show Special Kit
Bud Basics Stamp Set
Pack of 20 A6 cards and envelopes
Stampin’ Dimensionals
Dazzling Diamonds Glitter
Wide Grosgrain Ribbon (13.7 metres, colour of your choice)
3 Inkpads (colours of your choice)
Total (includes Shipping and Handling) $110
PLUS Receive a FREE Sale-a-Bration Stamp Set of your choice!
You may also like to choose a Sentiment Stamp set, such as Wonderful Words or Simple Sayings II to use on your cards.
I will also send you a sample card and full instructions and tips on how to make it.
Just email me by February 28 to take advantage of this offer!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Not much time left to Sale-a-Brate!
These sets will never be available again, so don't miss out!
This card has been made with the Birthday Whimsy Set. This set is so versatile for making cards for men, children, women, anyone!
And to make it really easy, I've put together this kit which gives you all the supplies to make this card:
SALE-A-BRATION CARD KIT
Large Oval Punch $30.95
Small Oval Punch $30.95
Wide Grosgrain Ribbon $14.95 (choice of colour)
Mixed Pack of A4 cardstock $14.50 (36 sheets, choice of colours)
1 Inkpad $9.95 (choice of colour)
Free Sale-a-Bration Set of your choice
Total including Shipping = $105
PLUS, I will give you an extra FREE inkpad ($9.95 value) or Whisper White Cardstock ($13.50 value) whichever you prefer, AND I will send you this card, with instructions and tips on how to make it.
Just email me by February 28 to take advantage of this offer!
Edited to Add: The colours I've used here are Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery and Bashful Blue
Sunday, February 17, 2008
What a Show!
I'll be sending out my E-newsletter later this week, so add your email address in the box over there --------------------->
if you'd like to receive it!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
See you at the Show!
When: 15 -17 February 2008 (that's TOMORROW!)
Where: Rosehill Racecourse, Rosehill, Sydney
Entry: $15 adult, $12 concession (aged and student), Children up to 12 FREE. But if you buy your ticket online, you can get it for only $10! Check it out at http://www.creativelivingexpo.com.au/
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Catching Up!
Aren't I Lucky?! Thanks girls! Because it's too hard to think of 10 people to pass these awards on to, I'm going to give 5 people both awards (that's probably against the rules, but too bad!)
1. Teneale Williams (who has a website not a blog, but since I'm breaking rules anyway, I might as well go the whole hog!) because she's the most talented stamper I know and one of the loveliest people I've ever met too.
2. Alisa Tilsner (even though she's probably been nominated a zillion times already) because she's such a star!
3. Jayne Mercer (even though I know she's got one of them already) because she's such a star!
4. Sarah Klass because everything she does is so classy (I mean Klassy!)
5. Claire Daly because she really does do art AND heart!
I've also been a very slack Tagger. I was tagged a couple of times, quite a while ago now, and I'm ashamed to say, I dropped the baton! *blush*
I was supposed to name 7 Interesting Things about myself *sigh* 7 BORING things would be much easier.... Oh well, I'm breaking all the rules today!
7 BORING Things about me:
1. I don't speak any language apart from English
2. I have never lived anywhere but NSW
3. I am scared of heights
4. I don't watch any tv shows
5. I like to read
6. I like to do crosswords
7. I'm not allergic to anything
See, boring aren't I?? And I'm not tagging anyone either :-P
Monday, February 11, 2008
Another Brayer Background
This time I steered away from my usual Blues and Greens and went for some earthy, autumnal colours instead. I inked up my Brayer in Sahara Sand first, and then inked one edge in More Mustard and the other in Really Rust. I sponged the colours on the Brayer to blend the colours (this helps prevent any lines). Then I brayered back and forth like mad on my Whisper White cardstock. I stamped Stem Silhouettes on top in Basic Black ink. It's hard to tell in the pic, but the Really Rust piece has been stamped with the Canvas Background in Versamark ink. I mounted it all on a Card base of Sahara Sand. Some Hemp Twine adds to the Rustic feel, and the sentiment is from All Year Cheer I.
I actually made this card for my sister who recently had to go to hospital with a broken ankle, but I didn't like it enough to give it to her, and I still haven't made her a replacement (even though she is now out of hospital and hobbling around on crutches!). Sorry Yvette!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Blog Candy Winner!
First was
78
then
56
and then.....
9!
The winner is.....
Lisa Grainger!
Lisa, I'll be in touch, and find out which Sale-a-Bration set you would like.
Thanks to everyone who left a comment. I had so much fun that I'll definitely be doing Blog Candy more often, so check back soon!
Friday, February 08, 2008
On the Brayer Bandwagon!
Here's my first attempt. I inked my brayer in Cool Caribbean, and then inked the top in Not Quite Navy and the bottom in Certainly Celery. I blended the ink a bit on the brayer with a sponge, and then wheeled back and forth like mad on my Whisper White cardstock until it looked the way I wanted it to!
Then I stamped 'Lovely as a Tree' in Basic Black ink on top. I've had this stamp set for a little while now, but this was it's first inking. I wanted a stamp set to challenge me, and this is a definite departure from my usual style. I don't like it yet, but maybe it will grow on me (trees grow, right?? ;-)
I mounted it on black, and then I had sooo much trouble finding the right colour to mat it on. The brayering had blended the colours and so nothing matched. It was a good reminder of what card-making used to be like pre-Stampin' Up! ....pulling out every single shade of blue, and still not finding the right one. I finally resorted to Sahara Sand. It's like a pair of beige pants...it goes with everything! I played around with stamped backgrounds and finally decided to leave it plain...still not sure if that was a good move or not. The base card is Cool Caribbean, with the edges sponged in Not Quite Navy.
Sometimes everything flows when I make a card, and sometimes it's like going swimsuit shopping....nothing seems to fit right *sigh*
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Rose Merci
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Blog Birthday!
To celebrate, how about some Blog Candy?? I've never done this before, so we'll see how we go! Leave a comment on this post, and in a week (so, Sunday 10th February), I'll get one of the kids to draw a random number out of a hat. Post #1 will be 1, and so on. The winner will get a Sale-a-Bration Set (see them here ) You can choose your favourite one...hopefully you don't have them all already! Anyone in Australia can enter, but you can only enter once.... Good luck!
Sorry those outside Australia and SU! Demos are not eligible to enter...but feel free to leave a comment anyway ;-)
Oh, almost forgot...here's a quick and simple card made using the Friendship Blooms set. The stems have been made using "All in a Row". I stamped the trio of flowers in Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise and Marigold Morning, and applied Dazzling Diamonds glitter using the 2-way glue pen. The flowers have been cut out and popped up on Dimensionals.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Get your Sunnies On!
These are SO not my colours (no Certainly Celery *gasp!*), but it's good to step out and try something different every so often...and now, back to my Certainly Celery LOL