Sale-a-Bration Starter Kit Deal Extended!

If you thought you had missed out on the EXTRA 25% Starter Kit Deal, then I have good news for you....the offer has been extended for a few more days! (until March 31)

How would you like to choose $294 worth of Stampin' Up! goodies for only $169...PLUS free shipping? That's what you'll get if you join Stampin' Up! this month.

That's 25% extra value - an extra $59 in products - absolutely free.

The Starter Kit is now completely customisable..... so you can choose any mixture of products from any current catalogue - $294 worth - and you'll pay only $169.
For example, you could order a Big Shot and $144 worth of dies for $169, with free shipping!

It makes me wish I could join all over again! What are you waiting for?
You can place your Starter Kit order online HERE.
 
After that, I'll be there to help you every step of the way, whether you wish to buy products at a discount, pay for your hobby, or earn some extra income.

If you have any other questions about the Starter Kit, feel free to phone or email me and I'll be happy to help.

Online Ordering is Here!

It's a big day here in Stampin' Up! land... Online ordering has just been released in our market. That means Craft Shopping 24/7!

All you have to do is click on the "Shop Now" button to the right, and you will be able to "add to cart" to your heart's content.

Of course, you are still welcome to phone or email me with your orders, but if you like shopping at midnight, then this is a better option :o)

Artisan Embellishment Frame

I love making framed art for my walls. I think it's so much nicer having original handmade art on your walls rather than a store-bought print. I have been asked lots of times to run a class making some artwork, and the Artisan Embellishment Kit in the seasonal catalogue provided the perfect opportunity.
Here's what you get when you cross the $16.95 Artisan Embellishment Kit with an IKEA Ribba $10 Shadow Box frame:

I think it looks much more than $26.95 worth! And the best part is, it only takes a little over an hour to put together.
Everything you see inside the frame is in the kit, apart from the squares of Patterned Paper. I used the Tea for Two paper from the Seasonal Catalogue, but any paper with small patterns in soft colours would work. I've also added a couple of punched shapes - bitty butterfly, small heart and a couple of pearls.
Amy has snaffled this one to go in her room!

 

Sentimental Sycamore Circles

...try saying that 3 times fast!
Different-sized circles make a fun, easy layout. No need to worry about lining anything up!
This card has been my make-and-take at several workshops and also at my team meeting last month:

I've used Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red and Sahara Sand for my colour combination, as well as some Naturals Ivory cardstock. I love the Naturals Ivory and Naturals White cardstock (page 160 of the catalogue). Not only is it a bargain ($12.95 for 40 sheets), but it is lovely and sturdy and has a subtle fleck in it.
The plaid patterned circles on my card may look like patterned paper, but they are actually stamped - with Beyond Plaid- on page 14 of the Seasonal Catalogue.
And just to show you how different the same layout can look, here's another version of the same card, this time using Sycamore Street Patterned Paper (Sale-a-Bration) and the Patterned Occasions Sale-a-Bration stamp set:

I've also used the pretty Sale-a-Bration buttons and ribbon to dress up this card.
My circles are all punched (2-1/2", 1-3/4" and 1-3/8") apart from the largest one which is cut out using the 3" Circle Die on the Big Shot.
It's been fun Sale-a-Brating with you!

Pretty Petites Stamp-a-Stack

This is the Stamp-a-Stack set that I made using the Pretty Petites Sale-a-Bration set (and matching punch)....I've given these ones a more masculine feel:

It's difficult to tell from the photo, but the front of the card actually has a window punched out of it, with the Curly Label punch, and then the sentiment piece is on the inside of the card.
The colours I've used are Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso and Marina Mist. I've used Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper for my 1" Circles.
There's a few new Embossing Folders on there too - Vine Street (Sale-a-Bration), Argyle, Honeycomb (Seasonal Catalogue) and Cloudy Day (Seasonal Catalogue)

Madison Avenue Stamp-a-Stack

This week I'll be showing you a few more creations made using the Sale-a-Bration stamp sets. There's only a few days left to get your hands on your favourites!

Here's the Stamp-a-Stack I made using the Madison Avenue stamp set:

A fresh, citrus-y colour combination of Primrose Petals, Daffodil Delight, Lucky Limeade and Tangerine Tango. I think these flowers look equally pretty stamped straight on or punched out, so I did a bit of both!
The sentiments I've used are from the Bloomin' Marvellous Sale-a-Bration set.

Bloomin' Marvellous

Can you believe there's only one more week left of Sale-a-Bration? That's right, it ends next Friday 22nd March (earlier this year due to Easter). The year is just flying by!
Just make sure you don't miss out on your free products!
Here's a card I was almost not going to even take a photo of. It was one of those cards that looked a lot better in my head:

I've used the free "Bloomin' Marvellous" set on this one. I'm going to miss saying "Bloomin Marvellous"...I always have to say it in my best ocker Aussie accent (think Michael Caton or Shane Jacobson).
The colours I've used are Certainly Celery, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso.
Have a great weekend!


 

Oh Whale Crayon Resist

This is the other card we made at my Resist Techniques class:

This one showcases the Crayon Resist Technique. To do this technique, all you need is a regular child's crayon and some Glossy White cardstock. I used the Oval Framelits to cut an oval from Glossy White cardstock. Next I stamped the waves (from the Oh Whale stamp set) in Pacific Point ink. Once the waves are dry, highlight the "foam" on the waves with a white crayon. Then sponge Marina Mist ink on top. Voila!

Secret Garden Versamark Resist

Last month's Technique Class was on Resist Techniques. This one is Versamark Resist. This technique definitely comes under the "Simple but Effective" category. It's quick and easy, requires very little equipment but still gets a wow every time:

I've used the Secret Garden stamp set. I LOVE that this set contains both line-art and solid images, AND that you can get matching framelits so that all the images can be cut out with the Big Shot. Sure beats fussy-cutting!

To get this background effect, you stamp the solid images in Versamark ink on Glossy White cardstock. Once it is dry, sponge ink over the top (I've used Sahara Sand). For extra dimension you can stamp the line-art images over the top of that (I've used Sahara Sand ink again). Like I said, simple but effective!

I've stamped my main flower on Sahara Sand Patterns Stack DSP. Stamping on patterned paper is a great alternative to watercolouring an image.

Sahara Sand and Basic Black is such an elegant colour combination, don't you think? And I love the Beautiful Birthday stamp (page 44, $11.95). That font is just to die for!

One More Canvas Creation

Hopefully you aren't too sick of my Canvas Creations! This is the last one I have the show you, in Shades of green this time - Old olive to be precise!
I've used the "Just Believe" stamp set and the gorgeous Basic Grey/Basic Black Two-Tone Ribbon from the Seasonal Catalogue.
I will be running a Canvas Creations Technique Class next month on the 10th and 11th of April. If you are in Sydney and would like to come along, just email me to book in.

More Canvas Creations

Here's another card I made when I was experimenting with the Canvas Sheets (see the first one HERE). I've had lots of fun playing with them, and I've barely made a dent in the sheet. You can get a lot of cards out of one sheet!

I scrunched up this piece of canvas before inking, and then highlighted some of the "scrunch" lines with Crumb Cake ink.
If you're wondering how I did the background "woodgrain" effect, it was really easy. It's a piece of the Natural Composition Specialty Paper that I've crumpled up and sponged with Early Espresso ink. I love this paper - it has all the effect of clear embossing powder with none of the effort!

Happy Autumn!

Thank you for all the birthday wishes. I've been having a lovely week (and I still have a bit more celebrating to do this weekend!). For the record, 40 feels pretty much the same as 30 ;o)
I've been having fun playing with the new Canvas Sheets in the Seasonal Catalogue (page 21, $6.95 for a 12"x12" sheet).
It's a fun way to feel like an artist with very little effort. You can leave them plain and stamp on them, or dye them with ink refills like I did here:

I've used a few Autumnal colours. It's appropriately chilly and rainy for the first day of Autumn here in Sydney!
To colour the Canvas, I first saturated it with water and then applied ink refills with an Aquapainter (I made a palette out of an old lid and used Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie and Cajun Craze). Once it was dry, I stamped on it using the French Foliage set in Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink. I have frayed the edges slightly by pulling at the threads on the sides.
I finished off with a Bronze button and some Linen Thread.
By the sound of the rain outside, I think it's going to be a good day to stay indoors and stamp!