Time for some Blog Candy!

Edited to add: Would it help if I told you that I have only used 3 punches?

It's been ages since I did a give away, and it's also been ages since I promised attendees at Stampin' Up!'s Sydney Regional Training Day that I would post the instructions for making these Mini Pudding Boxes, so I've decided to combine the two!

Post a comment listing all of the punches that I used to make this cute Mini Pudding Box. It's tiny...that's a Ferrero Rocher Chocolate sitting in there. All of the punches are in our current catalogue.

If there's more than one correct guess, I'll put the names in a hat to draw out a winner. The winner will receive a lovely bundle of retired goodies. I can only post to Australia, but you are still welcome to guess if you are from elsewhere.

It's school holidays, so I'm off to enjoy a Farmstay with some friends and their families.
I'll be back on Friday to let you know the winner, so you have until then to rack your brains! Good luck!

Launch Party gifts

I always like to give a thank you goody-bag at my launch parties...who doesn't like to receive a bag of treats?? This year I had mini tote bags with a hand-made tag and inside were a few fun bits and pieces. My 2 favourites were the Malteser box and In Color bookmark.
Here's a front view of the Malteser box, decorated with the Button Buddies stamp set and a Big Shot Die button:
The ribbon holds the front flap shut. Here's a side view. The Maltesers sit in a hole cut with the Modern Label punch:
And inside...yummy!

To make these I started with a 26.5 x 7cm piece of cardstock (you can get 3 from an A4 sheet)
and scored at 7, 9.5, 16.5, 19, 21.5 and 24cm.

My second favourite item was the In Color bookmarks. I made both of these projects (40 of each) at Stamp Camp. I like having some production-line work to get on with at events like that. Late on the Friday night, I had almost finished all 40 bookmarks but my bed was calling me, so I decided to call it quits and finish the next day. When I sat down at my table the next morning they were all finished for me with a note stamped "love from the in color fairy". How sweet is that?

Here are the bookmarks:

The top edge is folded, and it opens up and there is a magnet inside so it stays in place in your book.

Hopefully all the ladies at my Launch Party liked their gifts...I'm sure all the Maltesers are long gone!

A Special Concert for a Worthy Cause

Attention all music lovers! If you live in the Sydney area and are looking for a way to spend next Sunday afternoon, read on, and please spread the word!
This is a cause very close to my heart (my son Jacob has Haemophilia). If you can't make it to the concert, you can still make a donation. Just visit HFNSW and click on "Make a Donation" (top right of screen). Every little bit helps! Thank you.

The Haemophilia Foundation of New South Wales is delighted to be supported by the Riverside Theatre at the concert event, ‘Expressions of Identity’. A generous portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Haemophilia Foundation of NSW which will help support the needs of people with congenital bleeding disorders, such as Haemophilia and Von Willebrand disease.

To show your support, please attend the concert by purchasing your tickets online, using the special promotion code ‘RED’. Only tickets purchased using the special promotion code will benefit the Haemophilia Foundation.

About the concert: The SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra members are aged 12-24, and travel from as far afield as Wollongong and Newcastle to the SBS Radio and Television studios every Friday night to rehearse in preparation for their concerts. In this concert, the Orchestra will present a program which accents the importance of personal and cultural identity. Works by Jean Sibelius, Ernest Bloch, Dvorak and Brahms are highlighted.

The Concert features invited soloists James Eccles (viola) and Sally Walker (Flute) and Conductor Geoffrey Gartner, all three are emerging musical talents, now embarked on professional careers in Australia and Internationally.

Concert details

Date: Sunday 25 September, 3:00pm
Location: Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta
Purchase Tickets: https://boxoffice.riversideparramatta.com.au/
or phone 02 8839 3399 (remember to use the promotion code to benefit the Haemophilia Foundation) Promotion Code: RED
Thank you for your support!

Time for some Shares

Although I know you would all like to get ALL the new accessories in the Catalogue, sometimes budgets don't stretch quite that far. Here's a way to get your hands on a sampling of all the new brads and ribbons in the new Catalogue. Each Share is divided amongst 8 people, so you get 1/4 pack of brads, or 1/8 roll of ribbon. If you join all 6 Shares, you'll save $4.80 (that's an 8% saving!)


DESIGNER PRINTED In Color Brads Assortment (p 143) $3.80
10 brads (2 ea in 5 colours)

GLIMMER BRADS ASSORTMENT (p143) $10.00
40 brads (2 ea in 20 colours)

3/8” In Color RUFFLED RIBBON (p 138) $12.00
5 colours, approx 1.1m of each colour
Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder

3/8” DENIM JEAN RIBBON (p 138) $3.50
2 colours, approx 1.1m of each colour Artichoke, Blue

1/2” SCALLOP DOTS RIBBON (p139) $19.00
10 colours, approx 1.1m of each colour
Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Elegant Eggplant, Marina Mist, Melon Mambo, More Mustard, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Tangerine Tango

1/2” SEAM BINDING RIBBON (p 139) $11.50
7 colours, approx 1.1m of each colour
Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Rose Red, Very Vanilla

OR All 6 Shares for $55 (reg $59.80)

If you were to purchase all of these items individually, it would cost $438.43 (ouch!)

Email me with your Share selections, and to sort out payment. I accept payment by Cash, Direct Deposit or cheque. Stampin' Up!'s 5% Shipping & Handling Charge is included in the Share price, but if you need your shares mailed out to you postage will be at actual cost (I will use the most cost-effective method).
The Closing Date for Shares is 30th September, 2011

Launch Party Make-and-Takes

Goodness me, it's been busy around here (as you can probably tell from my lack of blog posts!). It's just been one thing after another, with Stamp Camp, and my Launch Party, and then I presented at Stampin' Up!'s Sydney Regional Training Day last weekend. In amongst all that has been lots of family stuff happening too (and lots of cuddles with my new nephew...6 weeks old now!)
I thought you might like to see the make-and-takes from my Launch Party. They needed to be nice and simple, so 40 people could all make them, but I wanted to show off our lovely new In Colors and some of my favourite new products too.
Here's Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral strutting their stuff, along with Pennant Parade and Perfectly Penned:

And Delicate Doilies looking lovely with Island Indigo and Pool Party (helped along by So Saffron). I love the Lace Ribbon Border Punch too:
Everyone seemed to like the cards they made, and already everyone seems to love this batch of In Colors much more than last year's.

I'll be back (soon!) to show you some of the bits and pieces that they got in their goody bags this year!

P.S. To those of you who have been wondering if they've missed my latest newsletter...no, you haven't! I'm running just a tad late but am working on it now! You can subscribe over there ---->

Sweets from a Sweet

At our recent Stamp Camp, I gave out a few exceptional awards. One was for the "Most Amazing Chocolate Truffles in the Known Universe". They were made by Manda, and you really have to have a lookie HERE. She has even shared the (wickedly easy) recipe with us. Make sure you follow it to the letter...I'm sure it won't turn out right unless you "chuck" and "squish" them! ROFL
Manda is such a sweetie, so it really was appropriate that she brought along the sweetest dessert imaginable.... I actually think I have a little crush on her (ssshh don't tell anyone!) I think I wish she could be my Mum!
P.S. Make sure you check out the rest of her Blog and the gorgeous handmade goodies in her online store too!

$169 Starter Kit Offer!

WOW! What an amazing time to join Stampin' Up! If you already have lots of Stampin' Up! products or have been a Demonstrator before then this Mini Starter Kit is perfect for you. It's valued at over $310 and you can see all the details HERE.

If you would prefer to get the Full Starter Kit, it is also 20% off this month. The full Starter Kit is even better value with over $610 worth of products and business supplies for just $231.20.

For that price, what have you got to lose? The kits are both customisable, so most of the products can be substituted for alternative selections (of stamp sets, colours, etc). The Business Supplies also include 8 copies of the catalogue, rrp of $12.95 each! There is no shipping charge on the kit either, so there are no hidden costs.

You no longer need an ABN, so in just a few short minutes you can join my team online via my Official Stampin' Up! website. Just click on "JOIN NOW".
If you prefer to join the old-fashioned way with good old pen and paper, just email me and I will send you the required forms.

I'm hoping to welcome lots of lovely ladies to our wonderful team this month. We have so much fun at Team Meetings, Weekend Retreats, Christmas Dinners and we all chat and share online via our Yahoo group too. Feel free to phone me or send me an email if you have any questions!

It's here!

Check out the NEW CATALOGUE!
So many gorgeous things *sigh* My wishlist is ginormous. It's always so hard to arrow it down and prioritise, because I NEED it all now!
The catalogue is always so much better in real life than on a computer screen, so if you'd like your very own copy to keep by your bedside, email me with your address details and for $15 I can pop one in the post for you.