A Challenge...

The other day I challenged myself to use 2 things - the In Colour Poppy Parade, which is my most neglected In Colour and the Every Moment stamp set, which I really like, but have hardly touched. This card was the result.... I used a Sketch Challenge from somewhere too.
The colours are Cherry Cobbler, Poppy Parade, Always Artichoke and So Saffron...way out of my comfort zone! The little border and sentiment are from Because I Care (Level 1 Hostess set). I masked the flowers, stamped in Black Stazon and water coloured with ink pads and a Blender pen.
We're off to my Brother-in-Law's wedding this weekend. They live in Gymea Bay, so we are staying there overnight, and then it's my birthday on Sunday, so it should be a fun weekend!

Bliss Black Magic

...or actually this card is Early Espresso magic! This was our other Technique Class card. The Black Magic technique always looks so stunning. All you do is stamp in Whisper White ink on dark cardstock (I used the butterfly from the Sale-a-Bration set Bliss). When the ink is dry, colour over the top with Stampin' Up! Watercolour pencils. Press quick firmly to get deep colour tones. You can also add highlights afterwards with a White Gel Pen. The results are...magic!

Here's another example, this time using the Priceless set:
Here's the butterfly up close, so you can see the colouring better:

I love how the colours just pop!

Aviary Chalkboard

I'm actually about to head off to do a workshop for a lovely group of ladies this morning (what a nice way to start the week!), so I'll have to make this quick.
This month in Technique classes I taught the Chalkboard and Black Magic techniques...lots of fun! We made this card using the Aviary set for our chalkboard card. It's a very easy technique - just stamp in Craft White ink, and then dab Stampin' Pastels on top with a sponge dauber, while the ink is still wet. The chalk sticks to the ink, and the colours really pop on dark cardstock.
...I'll be back later to show you the Black magic card too.

Presto Patterns Aviary

The Aviary set in the Summer Mini was immediately on my "must have" list. I love the whimsical style of the bird cages and those cute little birds and owl. On this card I've used lots of other products from the mini too. It was a case of having so many new goodies and wanting to use them all NOW! The card started when I pulled out a sheet of Presto Patterns paper and started sponging it with Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz. This paper started it's life as a plain white sheet with a clear glossy design on it. When you apply colour with a sponge, spritzer or brayer, the pattern is revealed! Just like magic.
Next I played with the Lattice Embossing folder (another must-have). I sponged mine with some Frost White Shimmer Paint. Finally, the Aviary set was begging to be inked, so I made it the star of the card.


I just finished reading "Before I Fall" by Lauren Oliver...one of those books that stays with you long after you finish it. I couldn't put it down this morning and kept on reading even though I had a million other 'better' things to do. Now I'm sad it's over, and I want to start it all over again!

Elements of Style Stamp-a-Stack

Here is a Stamp-a-Stack that ran late last year, using one of my favourite stamp sets in the catalogue, Elements of Style. I love the look of stamping onto Sahara Sand cardstock...it makes the images easy to watercolour too, as it's much more forgiving than white or vanilla.
I used In Colors for these cards - Blushing Bride, Concord Crush and Pear Pizzazz, and gorgeous Organza ribbon.

Clean and Simple Apple Blossoms

Not too sure about this one.... it was my first attempt using the Level 2 Hostess set Apple Blossoms. It was a nice and quick card to make because I used a Clean and Simple sketch. Using a sketch really streamlines the card-making process!
The colours are Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke, Rich Razzleberry and Not Quite Navy.

A little bit French

Eiffel Towers seem to be everywhere at the moment, so why not on cards? I've used Love Letter DSP and the "Artistic Etchings" stamp set to create this card. They aren't my usual style, but sometimes it's nice to be someone else for a little while!

Precious Moments

As you know, I don't do a lot of scrapbooking, but here are a couple of sweet 6x6 pages that I taught in my classes last year:

I love this photo of Amy and I (taken by my cousin Amanda of Spitting Image Photography). I also love the Beautiful Wings Embosslit Die. It cuts out and embosses 5 perfect little butterflies Life really is a matter of moments....treasure each one

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)

stamps: Elements of Style
ink: Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso
card: Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
other: Color Spitzer tool, Marina Mist marker, Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Swiping!

I love doing backgrounds using the babywipe swipe technique. I swiped with Not Quite Navy and Baja Breeze here (and masked off the moon with a punched post-it first) to make a quick night sky backgound for my owl. To get this effect, just take a baby wipe and fold it so that it is a bit wider than your piece of cardstock (I used glossy white cardstock and find that it works best). Dab a few drops of re-inker along the folded edge of the baby wipe and then 'swipe' it across the piece of cardstock. You can go back and forth a couple of times if you want to. The result is a quick and easy background. You can usually get a few backgrounds out of the one baby wipe.
....I've obviously been spending too much time watching Dora with my 2-year-old nieces because at this point all I can think of is "Swiper! No Swiping!". My apologies to those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about!
BTW, the owl is from "Fox and Friends" and the branch is from "Cheep Talk"

Bella Toile

I had both kids back to school yesterday, and despite the heat, I had a lovely day making cards at my stamp desk. Now, it's the usual story, I need to take some photos so I can show you the fruits of my labour. However grocery shopping takes precedence over that, so instead I'll show you an oldie that I didn't put up here because it just didn't hit the spot for me. This card is a Sketch Challenge, and I don't know if it's the sketch or the colours I chose, but I just wasn't happy with it. What do you think?

It's still horribly hot today, so I think the air-conditioned shops don't sound too bad!

Fresh Cuts

Every now and then I like to pull out a stamp set that I haven't played with for a while and breathe some fresh life into it. That's just what I did here, with "Fresh Cuts" a set that I had used to death for a while, and then left neglected on my shelf. I had fun watercolouring the delicate blooms, and bringing them to life. It's a nice soft colour combination too - Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke and Sahara Sand. I think I'll pull out some more neglected sets and try something new with them!

TIP: I used the Colour Spritzer tool and a Perfect Plum marker to add some texture to the background. It's a quick way to fill a space that feels too 'empty'.

Materials (all Stampin' Up!)
stamps: Fresh Buts, Bella Toile
ink:Black Stazon, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke,Sahara Sand
card:Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Sahara Sand
other: Ovals Die, Paper Piercer, Color Spritzer, Blender pen, sponge daubers

Sale-a-Bration Time!

Yay! It's finally here - Sale-a-Bration! Click HERE to view this year's selection of FREE stamp sets, anmd to read all about how SAB (as we fondly call it) works. This year's selection is awesome, and if you're anything like me, you'll want to own them all.

If you get in fast, I have a special bonus for you.... For every $100 order placed between now and January 31, I will include a FREE GIFT with your order. It's a little thankyou pressie from the Summer Mini Catalogue, but I'm not telling you what it is, so I don't spoil the surprise...but it's good, I promise!
Email me to place your order... but it must be by January 31!

I'm back!

Did you miss me? I've just returned from a very relaxing family holiday on the North Coast (Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour). At one stage we weren't sure whether we'd make it as far as Coffs, as we watched the news of devastating flood waters heading south. We weren't affected, but my sympathy goes out to all of those who were.

I came home to this latest update from Stampin' Up!:
To help the victims of the floods that have devastated over three quarters of Queensland, join with us in supporting the Australia Flood Appeal. Stampin' Up! will donate $2 AUD of the retail value of sales from any stamp set (with a retail value of $30 or more) sold in Australia and New Zealand from 15 January through 15 February to the State Emergency Services in Queensland. As flood waters continue to inundate Australia in what has been described as the worst flooding in 37 years, we express our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones and homes and to those whose lives have been changed forever. We, like so many of you, feel a compelling need to lend support to all those who have been affected.

I'm hoping to get to my stamp desk soon, and start regular blogging again...first I might have to do some grocery shopping and wash some clothes though, or I don't think I'll be very popular around here!

Happy New Year!

I've been having a lovely family time over Christmas and New Year, and the computer has been very neglected. Once I get past the withdrawals, I actually find that I'm reluctant to switch it back on!
Stampin' Up! have a new promotion to see in the new year. You can get a FREE package of Heart Treat Cups-- $6.50 value--when you purchase the Sweetheart Stamp Set or Full Heart Punch. You can read all about it HERE
And for those of you who have been wondering if you've dropped off my newsletter list - you haven't! December just got away from me, but I'm planning on getting a newsletter out later today, hopefully. If you're not on my subscriber list, you can subscribe in the sidebar over there ------>

My Christmas Card 2010

Merry Christmas! I sent out 160 Christmas Cards this year and it still wasn't enough to send one to all the special people in my life! So consider this a Cyber Card for all of you who check my blog regularly. I wish you all the happiest of Festive Seasons and many blessings throughout the New Year. Blog land would be a very lonely place without you all!

I decided to use a stamp from a non-Christmas stamp set this year. The swirly stamp is from Elements of Style, and I've used my favourite Christmas red, Cherry Cobbler. To get the 2 shades, I stamped it twice without re-inking. I gave the whole card some shimmer by mixing some Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint with some Isocol (rubbing alcohol) in a spray bottle and giving the card a quick spray. I've tried to capture the effect in the second photo, but it looks much better in real life!
I hope you have a lovely day, surrounded by loved ones!