Scallop Circle Card

Here's a nice simple card I made to go with my Scallop Circle Mini Album (Project Class for June). I'll show you the Mini Album next time. I'm loving my Scallop Circle Die, and finding new uses for it all the time! I held off buying it at first, and then when I realised it was only $7 more than a punch.....well, that was all the justification I needed! LOL
On this card I've made my own Designer Series paper, using the Cottage Garden set (on special this month for only $19.96 clear mount option). This is one set where it's really handy to have clear blocks - it makes positioning the outline image really easy. Block "C" fits all the stamps in this set.
I've also used Cheep Talk (also on special this month) for the leaves. I find myself pulling out this branch all the time...it makes a great vine for a monkey to climb on, a branch for owls and birds and the leaves work really well with any solid flowers.
It's school holidays here, and I'm enjoying spending some family time. My kids are still of an age where they love to spend time with me, so I'm enjoying those precious moments while they last...and before the teen-angst sets in!

TIP: if you can't find the perfect DSP to suit your project, just pull out your stamps and make your own!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Cheep Talk, Cottage Garden, Best Yet
ink: Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, Old Olive
card: Kraft, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive
other: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Rich Razzleberry Ribbon, Big Shot, Scallop Circle Die

July Promotion!

Stampin' Up! have a great promotion for us in July. From 1-31 July, you will get 20% off select Two-Step Stampin' sets from our current catalogues--no limit, no minimum purchase required!
Choose from the following stamp sets:

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
116386	39	Loads of Love	$39.95	$31.96
116342	42	Big Bold Birthday**	$53.95	$43.16
115860	78	A Rose is a Rose**	$66.95	$53.56
116332	86	Playful Petals**	$52.95	$42.36
115770	98	Cheep Talk	$47.95	$38.36
115946	115	Wonderful Favourites	$39.95	$31.96
119187	14*	Tiny Tags (wood-mount)	$38.95	$31.16
118592	14*	Tiny Tags (clear-mount)	$28.95	$23.16
119163	31*	Cottage Garden (wood-mount)	$32.95	$26.36
120003	31*	Cottage Garden (clear-mount)	$24.95	$19.96

*From 2010 Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue
**Retiring stamp sets!

Going, going, gone

Just a reminder that today is the last day to order the Deal of the Week! Let me know by 9pm tonight if you'd like to get your hands on some bargain bling!

While I'm here, I promised Marian that I would upload one of the technique cards from this month (sorry it's taken me so long, Marian!). We used Sweet Treat Cups to make the cute whale card, and also this butterfly card:

I wanted to make the butterfly look as real as possible...do you think I succeeded? The flowers have been stamped using Watercolour crayons direct to rubber, and then lightly spritzed with water before stamping.

Party Party Pages

Now you all know scrapbooking is not my first love...I will always be a card-maker first and foremost, but I am really enjoying my monthly crop nights, and the fact that it forces me to scrap a couple of pages each month! If you are new to scrapbooking, I would highly recommend starting with 6x6 pages. A 12x12 canvas feels scarily empty to a card-maker! Only one standard photo fits on a 6x6 page, so layouts and colours come together really quickly. You can make a mini album or calendar quite easily, and they make a lovely gift too.
These are the pages we made at last month's class:

I've taken the colours from Good Morning Sunshine DSP. And I showed off my Big Shot alphabet, and how to make your letters do double duty!
I have another Crop Night tonight. There's nothing like chatting and creating with friends :o)

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Party Hearty
ink: Versamark
card: Baja Breeze textured, Pacific Point, Summer Sun, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze
other: Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Big Shot, Alphabet dies, Top Note Die, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Crystal Effects

Deal of the Week 4

What a fun month it has been, getting a new special every week. This is our last deal for the month, and it's time to accessorise with BLING and ribbon! 40-45% off!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
109113	149	Square Ice Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
109111	149	Circle Ice Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
109112	149	Square Fire Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
111848	150	Bashful Blue 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon	$19.95	$10.97
109050	151	Certainly Celery 5/8" grosgrain ribbon	$14.95	$8.97

I just love embellishments... especially when they're discounted :o)
Let me know if you NEED any of these pretties

Last call for half price stamps

It seems quite a few of few love getting half-price stamps! (no surprise there!)
The "Enjoy Every Moment" set has been the most popular by far. You obviously all have good taste, because it's my favourite too ;o)
It's actually my go-to set when I need a quick masculine card. I just grab some stripey DSP, stamp "enjoy" on a piece of Whisper White cardstock, punch out "every moment" with a word window, and pop a button embellishment in the "o". Done, and in the mail!
I've made about a million variations of this card:

OK, maybe not a million...there aren't that many men in my life. I'm just hoping they don't realise that I'm sending out basically the same card each year. There's a good chance they won't, when they can't even see the butter in the fridge when it's right in front of them LOL
And just to show you it does great feminine cards too:...and it's great for scrapbooking too (ahem, no pic of that one...)

Deal of the Week #3 finishes today. I'll be placing my last orders tonight, so let me know by 9pm if you would like to take advantage of this special offer!

Karen reminded me that I never told you how I made the little heart on the Pink Flamingo card. I used the Trio Flower punch. The top of the heart is 2 petals, and I just snipped down in a "V". Easy, huh? You can get all different sized hearts using flower and scallop punches! It's a handy trick to have up your sleeve.

Thanks for the reminder Karen, and I'm so glad you're about to get back into blogging (just putting it in writing, in public, so you can't get out of it!)

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my published work. As some of you guessed, my favourite is the blue card....mainly just due to the colours. I can't go past Baja Breeze!

A little trumpet blowing...

I haven't had a chance to submit any work to magazines much lately, but I did get my act together late last year to make a set of cards and submit them. They were accepted (yay!) and appeared in last month's Australian Cardmaking, Stamping and Papercraft magazine.
I used Fifth Avenue Floral, and watercoloured the images on watercolour paper.

You can find the full instructions and list of Materials in the magazine (Vol 16 #2).

Which one's your favourite...and can you guess what my favourite is?

Deal of the Week 3

Stampin' Up! have an amazing deal for us this week. You can take 40 - 50% off these 5 stamp sets!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
114263	34	A Happy Heart Stamp Set	$41.95	$20.98
115792	57	Greetings Eight Stamp Set	$49.95	$24.98
116330	78	Bella's Bloom Stamp Set	$24.95	$14.97
113009	97	Enjoy Every Moment Stamp Set	$53.95	$26.98
114283	105	All Scallops Stamp Set	$55.95	$27.98

What a perfect excuse to treat yourself to some new stamps!
Plus, my newsletter subscribers will also get an extra bonus offer from me.

Some housekeeping!

Just a quick one today. I've had a lovely relaxing long weekend, and now my to-do list for today is huge (if I ever get off this computer!)
Stampin' Up! have posted some Important Colour Information on the demo website:

With our recent Colour Renovation announcement, we have experienced an increase in demand for some of our retiring colours. We need to clarify that beginning now, all retiring colour products are available only while supplies last.

Already several re-inkers have gone on backorder (and these orders will be filled) and some cardstock too, but I'm not sure how much longer they will be able to fill backorders for.

If you have some retiring colours that you wish to stock up on, I would do it sooner rather than later!

Also, don't forget that Deal of the Week #2 finishes today. I'll be placing my last orders tonight, so let me know by 9pm if you would like to take advantage of this special offer!

Not a Pink Flamingo in sight!

As promised, I am back with a Pink Flamingo creation. I made this card yesterday, but it has taken me until now to photograph it and edit it (mainly because I decided that while I was at it, I might as well take pics of the other 30 cards that hadn't been photographed yet!!).

Now this is much brighter than my normal colour palette...what a shame Summer Sun will be retiring in August. I call it "Sports Shirt Yellow" and I have to confess I will not miss it one bit!

I thought the sentiment "live like you mean it" was appropriate for these bright colours! I've covered the little heart in Crystal Effects to make it shiny. Speaking of the heart, there's one punch that I've left off my Materials List....can anyone guess how I made the heart? (hint: it's not what you might think!)
While you're thinking about it, check out Teneale's Pink Flamingo creation. She was even brave enough to use the bold patterns in the pack! (I cheated and used the more delicate prints!) Only Teneale could make those papers looks so good!

Edited to Add: I used the Trio Flower punch. The top of the heart is 2 petals, and I just snipped down in a "V". Easy, huh? You can get all different sized hearts using flower and scallop punches! It's a handy trick to have up your sleeve

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Live Like You Mean it (Level 1 Hostess), Eastern Blooms
ink: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun
card: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun, Whisper White
other: Pink Flamingo DSP, Big Shot, Lots of Tags Die, Ovals die, Wide Oval Punch, Tempting Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch, Crystal Effects

Deal of the Week 2

Stampin' Up! have another great deal for us this week. You can take 35 - 40% off Selected DSP!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
112470	132	Haiku Designer Series Paper	$16.95	$10.17
113976	132	Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper	$16.95	$11.02
113992	133	Tea Party Designer Series Paper	$16.95	$10.17
113975	133	Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper	$16.95	$11.02
114037	133	Sweet Slumber Specialty Designer Series Paper	$22.95	$14.92

Some of my favourites are on this list. I thought we should take a trip down memory lane and re-visit them:

Sweet Slumber Specialty

Raspberry Tart

Tea Party

Haiku

Hmmm...there seems to be one missing. I guess Pink Flamingo is my least favourite of the bunch! I know I've used it though, because my pack is all chopped up ...although I think it's Amy's favourite, so that might explain it! I think I'll challenge myself to make a card with it today...stay tuned!!

Last call for Punches!

Our first Deal of the Week is almost over! ...and it has been hugely popular. I can tell you all love your punches as much as I do!

I'll be placing my last order for punches tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 9pm. If you're local to me, you can have your punches for $20.12 each, plus 5% shipping and handling. If you need your order mailed directly to you, shipping is $5.95, so you might as well add a couple of things to your order, to make it worth while ;o)

Let me know if you need a punch or two! LOL

Asian Artistry Stamp-a-Stack

This was the other Stamp-a-Stack Design for May (click to make the pic larger) ... a few more layers on this one, and a richer colour palette. I just love the "Asian Artistry" stamp set. It's a Level 2 Hostess set in our Autumn/Winter Mini. I've helped a few ladies earn this set for free, by doing a workshop for them and their friends. I'm taking bookings now for July and August, so let me know if you would like to have a stamping get-together!
It's raining again here in Sydney. I've lost track of how many weeks it's been, but it feels like 40 days and 40 nights! It's at the stage where everything just feels damp.
I'm reading a really good book at the moment ("Still Alice" by Lisa Genova), and I just feel like curling up on the lounge with a nice cup of tea and burying myself in that. But that won't get the grocery shopping done, or my tote packed for tonight's workshop (Hi Kerrie!).
Besides, it's one of those books that you almost don't want to keep reading, because that brings you closer to the end. As opposed to another book that a started a couple of weeks ago - "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" - which I couldn't bear to read at all. I don't know if something got lost in translation, but I found the writing plodding and clumsy. It must be just me, because it got rave reviews. I gave up in disgust, long before I reached the end...maybe I'll just see the movie instead LOL
Well done if you've stuck with my ramblings this long...can you spell PROCRASTINATION? Blame it on the rain!

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Asian Artistry, Tiny Tags, Sanded background
ink: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black, Versamark
card: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
other: Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Old Olive Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot Ribbon, sponge daubers (to apply ink to the stamps), Jewellery tag Punch, Linen thread, 1/16" hole punch

Cottage Garden Stamp-a-Stack

I can't believe we're in June already...the year is flying by scarily fast. I'd better get cracking and design the rest of my classes for July (including Christmas Stamp-a-Stacks!!). My plan for today is to do just that. However, the sun is shining outside for the first time in a couple of weeks, so I might have to squeeze in a walk in the sunshine too. Poor Coco has been very walk-deprived lately... I have to say, I love my job!
Before I do all that, I thought I'd pop in here and show you last month's Stamp-a-Stack design


Super-easy, these ones! We just stamped a background on a 1/4 sheet of A4, and punched twelve 1 1/4" squares from it. The squares fit really nicely on a 7cm x 10.5cm piece of cardstock, and I've added a few extra squares of co-ordinating DSP. Finish off with some ribbon, and voila, you're done!
I've used a soft, gentle colour scheme - Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze and Basic Grey.

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Cottage Garden, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
ink: Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze and Basic Grey
card: Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Whisper White
other: Baja Breeze Patterns DSP, 1 1/4" Square Punch, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Basic Grey Taffeta Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, White Gel pen

Deal of the Week 1

Throughout the month of June, Stampin' Up! will be offering Deals of the Week. This is the first time we have had this promotion in Australia. Each week there is a new deal, and each deal only lasts for a week...cool, huh?
Deal Number 1 is on everyone's favourite tool - punches!
Until next Tuesday, 8th June, you can take 30% off these punches:

The Scallop Oval, Scallop Square, Trio Flower and Boho Blossom punches are all only $20.12 for one week only. What a bargain!! There are no minimums and no limits, so place your order today!