Proud Mum Moment

This week we had our School Presentation Day awards, and School Reports came home. I had a sneaking suspicion it was going to be a positive occasion, so I made up a card for Amy and Jacob to tell them how proud we are of them. I used some Alphabet chipboard to spell out a fun "U R A star" card. I made it in a couple of different colour combos - Elegant Eggplant, Tempting Turquoise and Real Red for Amy:

I LOVE this new Polka Dot ribbon! The Chit Chat Rub-ons make a really quick and easy greeting too.

Kiwi Kiss, Tempting Turquoise and Pumpkin Pie for Jacob: It's really easy to dye the chipboard using an inkpad and sponge dauber. I punched out the star with the Large Star Punch, and added some fun buttons too. The Tombow glue does a great job of sticking it all on.

Luckily I had these all made up, with a book wrapped up to match (my kids are so easy to buy for. They both LOVE books!); both kids brought home excellent reports and both won awards at Presentation Day too. As Vice-Captain, Amy also did a fantastic job of presenting on the day too, so I was one very proud Mum :o)
Amy also had her Year 6 Farewell this week too (yes, it's been quite a week!). Here she is, my beautiful daughter, looking so grown up:
I can't believe she's off to High school next year! *sigh* ...excuse me while I go and have a little quiet cry

Challenge #4 - Spring Mini Springboard

We're up to Challenge #4 for August, and anyone can enter! August's challenge is called the "Spring Mini Springboard". You just need to use the Mini Catalogue as a Springboard for inspiration. You can take your inspiration from any of the projects featured in the Spring Mini Catalogue. It could be the colours, a layout, or both!
I've taken my inspiration from the picture frame on page 10, and the colours are from page 14:

Here's a close-up of the chipboard circle and layering:
It's really easy to come up with a design when most of the work is done for you :o)

I can't wait to see what you come up with! The winner will receive a lucky dip of assorted Stampin' Up! bits and pieces from my stash!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Always, Friends 24-7
ink: Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango
card: So Saffron, Tangerine Tango (textured) Riding Hood Red (textured), Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
other: Heart to Heart Punch, Designer Clips, Chocolate Chip Double-Stitched Ribbon, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals, Pop-Up Glue Dots, Washington Apple DSP, On Board Lots of Letters

Edited to Add: You have until September 15 to take part. The Challenge is open to anyone in Australia OR New Zealand
Thanks Kerry. I've added Mr Linky now....must have been having a vague moment!!

Another Kristina Challenge

Edited to Add:
What a buzz, being in the Top 10! It has made my day. And to think I almost didn't bother submitting this card!
Welcome to any new visitors from Kristina's blog. Hope you enjoy having a look around!

This one was a toughie! Not my colours at all....Real Red, Old Olive, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie and Tempting Turquoise. I couldn't help adding some white too.

I decided to use some chipboard, since that was something that a few of you asked me about in my Q&A. OK, it's not a tutorial yet, but it's on the way. I used the chipboard panel with 4 circles cut out of it, and covered it in Olive "Prints" Designer Series Paper. (Don't forget this month's Palette o' Prints Promotion, and you can get some of this yummy paper for yourself!)

I'll be back in the morning to tell you how I made this card. My bed is calling me (too many late nights...I've had a class every night this week!)

OK, I'm back after a good night's sleep!
Once I'd decided to use chipboard on the card, the rest flowed from there. Rather than sticking the paper to the chipboard and trying to cut the circles out of the middle (way too hard!), I used the chipboard as a stencil, and traced around it, including the circles. Then I used my 1 1/4" circle punch to punch out the 4 circles. I stuck it to the chipboard with a gluestick, and lightly sanded the edges with a sanding block. I stamped the 3 butterflies on separate pieces of Whisper White cardstock, so I could position them behind the windows. The "Happy Thoughts" message is from "Think Happy Thoughts", and the little ladybird has been punched out with the 3/4" circle, and popped up on dimensionals. Then, I just layered it all on a piece of So Saffron cardstock, and then another Print Designer-Series Paper (Pumpkin Pie this time), and then the Tempting Turquoise base card. A piece of the Striped red ribbon adds a cute embellishment.
This is not a standard sized card...because I 'built' the card around the chipboard, it ended up being bigger and squarer. Not a problem, since I'd give a card like this in person anyway, rather than mailing it :o)

Welcome Baby Jarod!

A good friend and customer had a beautiful baby boy a couple of weeks ago, and as soon as I heard the news, I sat down to make a card for her. Baby cards are about the only cards that I never make in advance...I always like to personalise them. I used Chipboard stars (from On Board Accents) and Spring Showers Designer Paper for the feature of this card. Big Deal Alphabet has been getting a workout lately! I substituted the 'o' on Jarod with the "welcome little one" circle from the Riveting set (this stamp always seems to make it's way onto my baby cards!) Lots of shades of blue here: Buckaroo, Bashful and Bordering.
I get to meet baby Jarod for the first time tomorrow night...he's coming along to his first stamping class. We'll have him addicted in no time ;-)

Edited to add: That's faux stitching there, done with the Paper Piercing Mat and White Gel pen...looks real doesn't it?!