Funky, Fresh and Fun

Just Add Ink 40...

2010-10-25T13:04:00.000+13:00

Shock horror I know, two posts in one weekend. I only wish we had long weekends more often. With colours as pretty as these who could resist playing along.

Christmas Elf...

2010-10-23T15:48:00.000+13:00

It's felt like ages since I've had the chance to get my fingers all inky. Most of my stamping gear is packed away in storage in preparation of our move next month. The good thing is we are only moving across town.

I have been wanting to make one of these cute little elves ever since I came across a tutorial by Sophia Landry late last year. The tutorial is in two parts. You can check it out by clicking on the links below;

Christmas Elf - Part 1

Christmas Elf - Part 2

Anyway, It's along weekend here in New Zealand and the sun is shinning so I'm off outside to kick a ball round with the kids.

Let it Snow....

2010-09-19T22:50:00.000+12:00

I would have to say that this weekend has been like no other. It's the first time I've seen snow in Invercargill, well snow that's settled that is. Luckily we escaped with no damage to our property, however it's a different story for some of our local businesses with roofs collapsing under the pressure of the snow.

Today is the Official Launch...

2010-08-01T12:02:00.006+12:00

Of the 'Helping Hudson, A Wheely Great Cause' fundraiser.

I've attached a link below to the official 'Helping Hudson' blog page where you will be able to browse the various tabs, read the story behind this awesome cause, and of course purchase tutorials to help raise the funds required to purchase this wee guy a mobility walker.

http://helpinghudson.blogspot.com/

Helping Hudson, A Wheelie Great Cause...

2010-07-25T21:06:00.004+12:00

I received an email a week ago from Genna Gifford asking me if I would write a tutorial in support of raising money for the Helping Hudson fund.

Helping Hudson , A wheelie Great Cause is fundraiser for fellow demonstrator Tina Gillespie from Adelaide, Australia and her 2 year old son, Hudson. Hudson has been diagnosed with multiple disabilities and is in desperate need of a wheelchair/walker to help him learn to move around.

The event will run from August 1 through to August 22, during which time there will be tutorial bundles available for purchase. Each bundle will contain 10 tutorials and will be available for $10 AUS - all of which will go into the Helping Hudson fund.

Below is an example of the bundles/ themes

1. Christmas
2. Kids' Birthdays (incl. invitations, gifts, party favours, etc.)
3. Scrapbooking
4. Punch Art
5. Bags & Boxes
6. Projects for Men and Boys

There will also be some really great competitions and challenges running during this time so keep an eye out for these also.

Details on how to purchase these bundles will be available in the next day or two.

For Him...

2010-05-02T10:57:00.007+12:00

The one thing I really struggle with is making masculine cards, so when I came across this idea by Paperbabe I knew I had to give it a go. Although I didn't have a tutorial to work from, Kim had posted lots of photo's at different angles making this little project very easy to recreate.

My Favourite Things...

2010-04-13T22:20:00.003+12:00

Baja breeze cardstock, ribbon and buttons, these are a few of my favourite things. This little gift box would have to be one of the quickest projects I've made in a while. In fact I think it probably took longer to watch the video tutorial by Angie Kennnedy Juda, than making the box itself. And the great thing about this style of box is it folds flat for storage.

By the way, do you recognise the sentiment stamp? I'll let you in on a little secret, it's actually from the jumbo roller wheel 'Friendly Words'. Teneale Williams posted a great tutorial a while back on how to take the rubber off your roller wheels and convert them into clear mount stamps. It is such a great idea and I would have to say that my wheel has had more use this way than it ever did as a roller wheel.

Just Add Ink...

2010-01-28T02:37:00.005+13:00

It's new and it's exciting. The Design Team consists of Australian and New Zealand Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who love to share what they love and inspire others to create.

Every Friday a new challenge will be set and you have until the following Wednesday to link your creation using Mr Linky on the Just Add Ink Blog.

This weeks challenge was to use the following colours. For my entry I decided to create a Joy Fold Card.

Better Late Than Never...

2010-01-14T20:30:00.003+13:00

Okay I know Christmas has been and gone, but I really wanted to show you the 'Poop Boxes' I made our family and friends for Christmas.

The box itself is very simple in design. Debbie Airey had them featured on her blog just prior to Christmas, along with some very easy to follow instructions on how to make them. You can check her blog post out here. I used a 4 x 8" piece of card stock to get a slightly larger finished box. I then stamped it using the snow flake from the 'Winter Post' set.

I then decorated the boxes with punch art. The reindeer is a case from Heather Summer's while the snowman I created myself.

His body was constructed using the 3 large circle punches from Stampin' Up! and then sponged with basic gray to give a little definition. His arms were created by stamping both the right and left arms form the 'All in the Family' Set on a piece of whisper white. His hat; the round tab punch. Lastly two eye's were punched from a scrap of black card stock using a 1/4" circle punch. A slither of groovy guava for his nose and to finish him off a few dots to create a mouth.

The boxes were then filled with snowman poop (marshmallows) and reindeer poop (chocolate coated peanuts). All in all I made 4 snowmen and 48 reindeer, so needless to say I was rather pleased when they were all finished.

A Fond Farewell...

2010-01-13T00:45:00.001+13:00

At the end of the year one of Connor's morning kindy teachers finished up. As a big thank you to her for all she did with the children during the year I made a thank you card and with a matching 6" x 6" album. The album was filled with photo's from throughout the year of both the children and the teachers.

To package the album I made a box slightly larger than the ablum and added a clear lid using acetate.

Let's Party...

2009-10-25T12:40:00.000+13:00

My sister asked me if I could make up some party bags for my nieces eighth birthday which was on the 10 of October. I hunted through my paper stash and found these cute prints that I thought would be ideal. I then matched them up with some gorgeous ribbon from Stampin' Up!.

To personalise the bags a little for each of the girls I made up little tags with their first initial. To make the tags I used both the large and small tag punches by Stampin' Up! The tags themselves I think are pretty self explanatory.

And finally a pic of the finished product.

Roses Are Red...

2009-10-23T22:25:00.002+13:00

I have wanted to make one of these paper roses for so long but never had the right punch until the other day. They are so simple to make and look spectacular when finished. This one was created using ' Rose Red' card stock. The edges were sponged prior to assembly using 'Rose Red' ink to add a little depth to the flower. On completion I added a touch of red glitter and a little crystal effects to give a dew droplet effect.

I had an order for one of my customers sitting on the table. Knowing her favourite colours I decided to package her order up using some retired paper and ribbon from my stash. I finished it off by adding the rose.

Edited 24th October 2009
The punch used to make the rose is a 6 Petal Marvy Giga Punch.

A Very Merry Christmas...

2009-10-22T01:20:00.000+13:00

Tonight I decided to challenge myself to use what was within reach of my crafting area. I had earlier been working on a couple of Christmas projects and still had the stamps sitting on the table in front of me.

Okay, so it's not your usual traditional Christmas card, but I like it and surprisingly it came together really quickly.

Waterfall Album with Co-ordinating Card...

2009-10-12T20:45:00.002+13:00

I can now show you all the swaps that I made for my swap sister Heather O'Keefe during the last round of UStamp. I'd have to say being my first swap it was all a little daunting, not knowing what to make or to what degree.

The first part of my project was this waterfall album (below). It measures 6 x 5 7/8 inches. Basically it work by the same principal as the waterfall card.

As you pull the tab the pages turn exposing a hidden panel at the back of the album. The album itself is made using 'Chocolate Chip' and 'Whisper White' Card Stock, 'Parisian Breeze' Specialty Designer Paper from the Spring Mini and a combination of stamps from 'Friends 24-7' and 'Baroque Motifs'.

The second part of my project was this coordinating card (Below). I used the same coloured card stock and specialty designer paper as that in the waterfall album. The stamps used were again 'Friends 24-7' along with the sentiment 'To You From Me' from the Level 1 Hostess set, Best Yet.

I've already joined up for the next round of UStamp and am looking forward to participating once again in the swap.

Ben 10, Alien Force - Part 2...

2009-10-10T23:05:00.000+13:00

On Monday Connor turned four. Although the day was solely family orientated it was still busy leading up to the day. As I mentioned in a previous post, Ben 10 is the flavour of the month in our house and one wee man was lucky enough to get a Ben 10 scooter from his Nana and Grandy.

Connor taking his scooter for a test drive. (Below)

I also took on the tedious task of making him a Ben 10 Birthday Cake. I have no ambition of ever becoming a cake decorator. Three hours later and this was the end result. I must admit I am really wrapped with the way it turned out.

I kept telling Connor all day that mummy just ran out of time to make him a cake. When we suprised him with his cake the look on his face was priceless.

The birthday boy blowing out his candle.

Swaps from Canada...

2009-10-04T00:35:00.002+13:00

I received my swaps last week from Heather O'Keefe who was my swap sister for this round of UStamp. The set criteria for the swap was that we had to make 2 card/3D items. As you'll see from the photo's below I was very spoilt receiving not 2 but 3 cards and 3 gift tags.

Although I love all 3 cards I think that this one (above) would have to be my favourite.

Please note that the products shown in this post are not available in the Aus/NZ Stampin' Up! Catalogue.

Ben 10, Alien Force - Part 1...

2009-10-03T00:20:00.002+13:00

It's hard to beleive that yet another year has past and that on Monday Connor is turning four. This year has been a busy one for him, firstly starting Kindy and then the arival of his new brother. He's also enjoying having me at home. Anyway this is the card I have made him for his birthday. If you ask him what his favourite program is at the moment he will tell you 'Ben 10, Alien Force'.

To make the card I did a search on the net for an image. I found a black and white colouring in page which I reduced in size and printed off half a dozen times on coloured paper. I then cut out each piece in the relevant colour and pieced it back together. I'm sure he is going to love it.

Itty Bitty Box...

2009-09-17T23:54:00.004+12:00

One for you, one for me, one for me, one for me, one for you, one for mummy...
This little itty bitty box is one of the projects from the current round of UStamp. The original design of this box uses the Big Shot and Bitty Box & Envelope Bigz Die from Stampin' Up! which we don't currently have available here in New Zealand. With this in mind I decided to sit down and create my own template, one that I could print directly onto my cardstock and just cut around.

Yay, the template worked and I have to say, they really are cute little boxes. This one I made for Pop. The top of the box was decorated using one of the stamps out of the 'Greetings Eight' Stamp Set. The image was stamped upside down and then touched up with a Stampin' Write marker and White Signo Gel pen to alter the wording to read Pop.Then with a little help from Connor we managed to get a couple of scorched almonds wrapped.

Look who's turning 5...

2009-09-05T18:58:00.002+12:00

One of Connor's wee friends from Kindy is turning 5 on Monday, so he had his birthday party today. The weather was glorious. Honestly, you couldn't have asked for any better, which was great because it meant the kids could run around outside.

I promised Connor that I would make a card for Darian, so while surfing came across some adorable cards by Tracey Old. They were using the stamp set 'By Land' which retired at the end of March. I showed them to Connor and asked him which one he wanted me to make. As you can see he chose the tractor. I have to admit I am thrilled with the way this card turned out and will definitely be making more.

Celebrate a little longer...

2009-09-05T02:54:00.000+12:00

Okay, I finally had some time last week to sit down and get crafty. This is what I came up with for our teams first cyber challenge. The theme of the challenge was spring time.

The colour combo was very much dictated by the 'Bella Narratives Pad' that I picked up at Spotlight. The colours I've used to compliment the patterned paper are; Rose Red, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White and Baja Breeze.

Child's Play...

2009-06-14T23:11:00.008+12:00

Connor and I had so much fun making this card for Nan's Birthday. I was so impressed at how well he did to punch out all the shapes. We then worked together to construct the lion with one little boy telling me where each bit should go. It was then off to bed for him while I finished the card. The next day he got to write a message to his Nan inside the card.

K WERNER CHALLENGE #49...

2009-04-11T20:20:00.002+12:00

What a great colour combo this week. I just couldn't resist using them on a scrapbook layout. I used a page map by Ingvild Bolme to complete the layout below. You can check out her blog here. The only real challenge I faced was how to incorporate the rose red into a layout for a boy. I cheated slightly and used a pink heart that I've had in my stash for quite some time and never got round to using.

The flowers have been dyed using 'Pacific Point' Ink Refill of differing shades, while the faux stitching has been created using Stampin' Up's 'Mat Pack' and a 'Basic Black' Journaler. I used a sanding block to give a white border to the photo's. A technique that I had never used before but was shown to me by a lovely lady whom I sat next to at the 'Nic Howard' Class I attended in Timaru at the end of March.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -n/a, Ink - Pacific Point, Cardstock - Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Designer Series Paper - Good Morning Sunshine, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Stampin Dimensionals, Spiral Punch, Pop Up Glue Dots, Mat Pack, Cutter Kit, Sanding Block, Pretties Kit (Small White Flower and Clear Round Rhinestones, Stampin' Write Journaler (Basic Black), Other - Felt Alphabet, Large White Flowers, Ghost Shapes, Bling Alphabet and Swirls, Journal Stamp Set, Black Antique Lace

K WERNER CHALLENGE #43...

2009-03-02T00:01:00.001+13:00

I had so much fun making this card and am thrilled with the way it turned out. The flower was stamped using Chocolate Chip Ink and the 'Basic's Outline' Jumbo Wheel on Ruby Red and Old Olive card stock. I then embossed the flower image using clear embossing powder to give it a nice patina before cutting it out and adhering it to the card front using Stamin' Dimensionals.

I then completed the card by adding a strip of colour to the insert. To check out the other entries in Kristina's colour challenge, click here.

Keryn's Colour Challenge #8...

2009-02-22T22:05:00.003+13:00

This week the colour's in 'Keryn's Colour Challenge' were Pixie Pink, Brocade Blue, Green Galore plus a neutral. Although I'm not that fussed on the 'Bold Brights' colour family I thought I'd give it a go, after all that's what challenges are all about. The card below is what I came up with. The ribbon on the elephants ear is 'Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon' which I dyed using my Brocade Blue Stampin' Pad. I then adhered it by applying a small amount of 'crystal effects'.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Congrats, Nursery Necessities, Ink - Pixie Pink, Brocade Blue, VersaMark, Cardstock - Pixie Pink, Brocade Blue, Green Galore, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Heat Tool, Mat Pack, Crystal Effects

K WERNER CHALLENGE #42...

2009-02-22T13:27:00.003+13:00

Okay, just a really quick post today as I am running really close to the deadline for Kristina's Weekly Colour Challenge. The colours this week were More Mustard, Really Rust, Kiwi Kiss and Whisper White, although like many of you I had to substitute 'Kiwi Kiss' for 'Old Olive'.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Botanical Blooms, Ink - More Mustard, Really Rust, Old Olive, VersaMark, Cardstock - More Mustard, Really Rust, Old Olive, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Natural Hemp Twine, Heat Tool, Stamping Sponge, Other - Making Memories Chipboard Buttons, White Flower

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #5

2009-02-17T20:50:00.002+13:00

This card measures 4 x 4 inch and was really quick and easy to make. The background has been stamped in Sahara Sand using the "Well Worn Words' background stamp by Stampin' Up! while the base of the card is in Basic Gray. I love the way these two colours work so well together.

The flower is from the 'Pretties Kit'. These flowers all come white providing endless opportunity to colour coordinate as you see fit. In this case I have dyed the flower by pressing it onto my Sahara Sand Stampin' Pad. I have then added a cream halfback pearl as a finishing touch.

I have had so much fun partaking in this weeks challenge and have since enjoyed checking out what everyone else came up with. To check out the other entries in Karen Giron’s Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge, click here.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Lovely Labels, Well worn Words, Baroque Motifs, Ink - Basic Gray, Sahara Sand, Cardstock - Basic Gray, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Pretties Kit, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Tombow Liquid Glue, Stampin Sponge.

Keryn's Colour Challenge #7...

2009-02-16T10:10:00.001+13:00

This weeks 'Keryn's Colour Challenge' colours were Brocade Blue, Old Olive, More Mustard and of course a neutral of choice.

The focal point for this card was based on a card by Karen Giron. You can check out Karen's blog here. I'm sure you would agree she is definitely one talented card maker. The other technique I've used on this card is one I saw on Sarah Gough's blog a wee while ago, using the 'Three for You Punch Box Set' to make the blossom for the centre. I've still got a bit of work to do to get my blossoms looking as nice as she does. Check Sarah's technique out here.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Three for You Punch Box Set, Floral, Ink - Old Olive, VersaMark, Cardstock - Brocade Blue, Old Olive, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Pewter Hodgepodge Hardwear, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Heat Tool, Three for You Punch, Flower Fusion, Scallop Edge Punch

K WERNER CHALLENGE #41...

2009-02-15T15:25:00.006+13:00

When I started this card I had no idea what or how it would turn out. All I knew was that I didn't want the red to be the dominant colour. I'd have to say I'm wrapped with the end result. Click here to check out the other entries in Kristina's colour challenge.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Close As a Memory, Paisley, Ink - Basic Black, Real Red, VersaMark, Cardstock - Basic Grey, Basic Black, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Basic Grey Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, Pewter Hodgepodge Hardwear, Crop-A-Dile, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Natural Hemp Twine, Heat Tool, Cutter Kit

Keryn's Colour Challenge #6...

2009-02-07T17:00:00.004+13:00

This week Keryn's colour challenge uses the following colour combination; Taken with Teal, Tempting Turquoise, Blush Blossom and a Neutral. Although I'm not that keen on the colour combo I decided to give it a go and play along. For my neutral I opted to use Kraft. I also used the 'Embossing Resist' technique Keryn used on her card although I sponged my image quite heavily for added depth.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Sincere Salutations, Baroque Motifs, Ink - Taken with Teal, VersaMark, Cardstock - Taken with Teal, Tempting Turquoise, Blush Blossom, Kraft, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Kraft Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, Pewter Vintage Brads, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, 1/4" Circle Punch, Heat Tool, Stamping Sponges

K WERNER CHALLENGE #40...

2009-02-06T21:16:00.003+13:00

Well it's been a while since I last posted, so what better way to get back into the swing of things than participate in a colour challenge. I would have to say that this is a colour combination I would never have dreamed using. Apart from the lack of depth in the flowers I would have to say that I am happy with the way this card turned out. Click here to check out the other entries in Kristina's colour challenge.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Eastern Blooms, Sanded, Paisley, Happy Everything, Ink - More Mustard, So Saffron, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, VersaMark, Cardstock - More Mustard, So Saffron, Taken with Teal, Old Olive, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, More Mustard 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, Old Olive Brads, Crop-A-Dile, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stamp-a-ma-jig, 1/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch

It's Christmas Time...

2008-10-27T09:41:00.001+13:00

Okay, when I came across the template for these fabulous stocking stuffer's I just couldn't resist giving them ago. They are designed by Lauren Meader. Aren't they just the cutest? I can see that between now and Christmas I'm going to be busy making many more and filling them all with lots of fabulous Christmas goodies.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Party Punch (Hostess Set), Ink - Always Artichoke, Basic Black, Cardstock - Real Red, Old Olive, Kraft, Designer Paper - Dashing, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Real Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin Dimensionals, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, uni-ball Signo Gel Pen, Other - Green Fibres

Tis the Season...

2008-10-19T20:20:00.002+13:00

I haven't had a lot of time this past week to sit down and stamp, so I was wrapped to get some time today to make a start on my Christmas cards (normally I'm still making them a week before Christmas). The card is one that I have cased, although have altered slightly and the 'Christmas Globe' I saw in the current US/CAN Holiday 08 Mini Catalogue. I decided to attempt my own version using the 1-3/8" circle punch. I have to say I'm thrilled with the results.

Stampin' Supplies;

Card; Stamp Set -Merry Merry, Many Merry Messages, Ink - Real Red, Cardstock - Real Red, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Horizontal Slot Punch, Versamark, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon

Christmas Globe Designer Paper - Wintergreen, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Other - Ruler, Stylus

Happy 42nd Wedding Anniversary...

2008-10-13T21:10:00.001+13:00

My mother in-law Olive, absolutely loves this 'Stipple Rose' stamp. I have used it here on her and Peter's Anniversary Card. They have been married for 42 years. It doesn't seem like 2 years ago that they celebrated their Ruby Anniversary. Where does time go?

The rose image has been stamped on water colour paper using black stazon and then coloured using Stampin' Write markers and a blender pen / Aqua Painter. I then re stamped the image a couple more times on water colour paper, coloured as above and cut out portions of the rose head and adhered to the main image using pop up glue dots for a 3D effect.

Stampin' Supplies; Stamp Set -Stipple Rose, Everyday Flexible Phrases, Paisley Background, Ink - Ruby Red, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa Stampin' Write Markers, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin' Pad, Black Stazon, Cardstock - Mellow Moss, Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, Whisper White, Water Colour Paper, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Pop Up Glue Dots, Blender Pen, Aqua Painter, Stampin' Sponge, Crop-a-dile, Ruby Red Brad, Word Window Punch

Welcome Little one...

2008-10-09T21:25:00.000+13:00

Here is the card we created on Monday afternoon. Although a really simple layout, this card shows how easily you can co ordinate your projects using the stamp sets available through 'Stampin' Up!' designed to work with the punches . The baby sentiment from the 'Lovely Labels' set was stamped in 'Apricot Appeal' on 'Very Vanilla' cardstock, then punched out using the 1-3/8" circle punch. This was then adhered to the scalloped circle and popped up on dimensionals.

Stampin Supplies; Stamp Set -Lovely Labels, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Nursery Necessities, Ink - Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal Classic Stampin' Pad, Cardstock - Certainly Celery, Apricot Appeal, Very Vanilla, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Stampin' Dimensionals, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Punch, Mat Pack, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Get Well Wishes...

2008-10-08T21:05:00.002+13:00

This is the card that I made for one of the ladies in our card group. She is such a fantastic women whom we have to be grateful to as she and her husband do so much for our group. Unfortunately she hasn't been feeling well for a short while and this past week ended out in hospital. Connor and I stopped in to see her last night and dropped off the card that was full of 'get well wishes' and 'kind thoughts' from all the ladies at cards. Although it's not your usual 'Get Well Card', the stamp set, Touch of Nature, is one of her favorite sets.

Stampin Supplies; Stamp Set -Touch of Nature, Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Ink - Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers, Ruby Red and Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad, Cardstock - Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Water Colour Paper, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Pewter Hodgepodge Hardwear, Aqua Painter, Stamping Sponge

Connor's Big Day Out...

2008-10-07T21:52:00.003+13:00

Sorry, no card tonight although I do have a couple which I'll post over the next few days. Instead I thought that I would share a couple of pictures from Connor's big day out. As mentioned in my previous post we surprised him with a trip on the Kingston Flyer for his birthday which turned out a real hit. The day entailed a trip from Kingston to Fairlight and return on board 'Thomas the Tank Engine', a magic show and lollie scramble.

Connor and his Dad standing in front of 'Thomas the Tank Engine'.

Waiting patiently for the 'Thomas' to pull out of the station.

Looking a little bit more relaxed and daring on the return trip from Fairlight to Kingston.

Thomas The Tank Engine...

2008-10-05T12:28:00.000+13:00

Three years ago today our darling son Connor was born, now three years on everything is 'Thomas, Thomas and more Thomas'. It amazes me how he can rattle off all the Thomas characters, so I thought it was on fitting that his birthday card feature Henry, the number 3 engine.

Friends of Thomas is running this weekend so as a birthday surprise we are taking him for a ride on the Kingston Flyer, where he'll be able to have his photo taken with the Fat Controller. It should be a fun day out and one to remember.

Stampin Supplies; Stamp Set -Like it a Latte, Family Phrases, Ink - Blue Bayou, Whisper White, Cardstock - Blue Bayou, River Rock, Sahara Sand, Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, River Rock Double Stitched Ribbon, 1" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Large Oval Punch, Small Oval Punch, Crop-A-Dile, Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets, Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool, Pop Up Glue Dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, Other - Provo Craft Stickers

Celebrations...

2008-09-08T21:20:00.005+12:00

I had so much fun making this card and would have to say I am thrilled with the end result. The original designer is Andrea Walford, a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Canada. You can check out Andrea's card here. Her version uses both the 'Upsy Daisy' stamp set and 'Urban Garden' designer paper which aren't currently available in NZ.

I love the look of 'Urban Garden' designer paper so much that I have created my own version using the technique called masking. The stamp set I chose for creating this look is 'Fabulous Flowers'. I would have to say that this is one of my favourite sets currently available in the 2008/2009 Catalogue. The card base I've used is 'Certainly Celery', and the images have been stamped in 'Blue Bayou', 'Soft Sky', 'Wild Wasabi' and 'Whisper White'.

Stampin Supplies;
Stamp Set - Fabulous Flowers, Oh, So Lovely (Hostess Set), Sweet Serendipity (Spring Mini 08), Ink - Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Cardstock - Certainly Celery, Blue Bayou, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Pewter Vintage Brad, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Happy Father's Day...

2008-09-07T00:01:00.001+12:00

This is the card I made my Dad for Father's Day. If there's one kind of card I really struggle making then it would have to be cards for males. The inspiration for this card came from the 2008/2009 Idea Book and Catalogue.

Stampin Supplies;
Stamp Set -Everyday Flexible Phrases, Lovely As a Tree, One of a Kind (Spring Mini 08), Ink - Chocolate Chip, Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Blue Bayou, Very Vanilla, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Blue Bayou Double Stitched Ribbon, Blender Pen, 1" Circle Punch, Crop-A-Dile, Black Vintage Brad

Each day provides it's own gifts...

2008-09-02T01:12:00.002+12:00

This is the 'Make & Take' that I had the privilege of demonstrating yesterday for our card group. They are a lovely group of ladies ranging in age from early twenties to mid-late eighties.

The panels of the card have been embossed using versamark and clear embossing powder on very vanilla cardstock. They have then been lightly sponged using 'Groovy Guava' to bring out the embossed pattern. A blender pen was then used to apply further 'Groovy Guava' to the flowers for added depth.

Stampin Supplies;
Stamp Set -Artfully Asian, Carte Postale, Ink - Versamark, Groovy Guava, Cardstock - Very Vanilla, Groovy Guava, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Groovy Guava Double Stitched Ribbon, Blender Pen, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Square Punch, Stampin Dimensionals

With Heartfelt Sympathy...

2008-08-30T18:50:00.000+12:00

When I saw this card on Diane Pappas's blog, Stamp With Diane I just knew I had to case it. I love the way the flowers blend themselves into the background. I've used the stamp set 'Close as a Memory' on this card and the 'Spring Showers' designer paper was the inspiration behind the colours. The scalloped edge was created using a corner rounder with the guard removed.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set - Close as a Memory, Ink - So Saffron, Creamy Caramel, Cardstock - So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Designer Paper - Spring Showers, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, 1" Circle Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Crop-A-Dile

The second card was a flow on effect of the first.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set - Solitude Standard Wheel (Hostess Set), Ink - Creamy Caramel, Versamark, Cardstock - So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Designer Paper - Spring Showers, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Gun, Bashful Blue Taffeta Ribbon, Mat Pack

Tip - To make the oval shape for the sentiment I stamped my image on a piece of card stock and rounded the ends using a circle punch.

Happy Stampin'

Fluttering By...

2008-08-26T22:26:00.001+12:00

I'm not to sure about this card, although I do like the way the flowers have turned out. It's the first card I've made using a two step set.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Heartfelt Thanks, Well-Worn Words, Time Well Spent (Hostess Set) Ink -Black Stazon, Purely Pomegranate, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Cardstock - Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Accessories - Watercolour Paper, Blender Pen, Pretty in Pink Taffeta Ribbon, Snail Adhesive

For Nan & Pop...

2008-08-25T16:04:00.001+12:00

I have been wanting to make a Jacob's Ladder for ages but haven't been able to find any light weight coasters, so I've used the backing card from the packs of designer paper. I cut them into 4x4" squares and then covered them 'Spring Showers' designer paper (this designer paper isn't listed in the current catalogue, however is available from your Stampin' Up Demonstrator), rounded the corners, sponged the edges and hey presto, I had the basis of my Jacob's ladder.

The photo's are of our son Connor and his Nan. They were taken the day we went to see Nan & Pop out at Uncle Todd & Auntie Amy's place. Nan & Pop had been house sitting and asked if Connor would like to come out and help them feed the animals.

What a poser, sitting on the chicken coup.

Connor helping Pop feed the hay to all the animals.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Lovely As a Tree, Always, Circle of Friendship, Ink -Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa , Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Designer Paper -Spring Showers, Accessories - 1" Circle Punch, Crop-A-Dile, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals, Caramel Gingham Ribbon, Cuttlebug Dies, Photos

Friends...

2008-08-24T12:00:00.006+12:00

After reading a post on Stevie Merryweather's blog, Create with Stevie, I turned to the catalogue for inspiration. This is what I came up with. I'm really happy with the way this card turned out. The flower images have been stamped on coloured card, cut out, then highlighted with the 'Water Wonder Crayons'. The sentiment has been coloured with the co ordinating classic stampin' pads and a blender pen and the ribbon, white 1/4" grosgrain, has been dyed using a sponge dauber and Blue Bayou Classic Stampin' Pad.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Scribble This, Time Well Spent (Hostess Set), Ink - Black Stazon, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi, Cardstock - Sahara Sand, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, White Watercolor Wonder Crayon, Aqua Painter, Blender Pen

For You...

2008-08-20T21:54:00.012+12:00

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Artfully Asian, One of A Kind, Ink - Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Cardstock - Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Whisper White, Designer Paper - Le Jardin, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Very Vanilla 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Blender Pen

Fabulous Flowers...

2008-08-15T11:04:00.016+12:00

The other night Sam and I sat down and made a slider card each. I had so much fun making this card and now that it's finished I can't stop playing with it. Who would have ever thought that a supermarket bag could be the basis of such a fabulous card. You heard right. The sliding mechanism for this card is a 1" wide x 11" long strip of plastic to which the side pieces are adhered. When you pull the tab the card extends outwards from both sides.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Fabulous Flowers, Ink - Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Cardstock - Not Quite Navy, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Square Punch, Round Tab Punch, Mellow Moss 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Plastic supermarket bag

Always on my mind...

2008-08-10T23:23:00.010+12:00

forever in my heart. This sentiment couldn't be more perfect. This photo was taken when my son was 3 weeks old (he's now almost 3).

I decided to go with 'Sage Shadow' and 'Close to Cocoa' on this layout, and keep the designer paper to a minimum.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Always, Schoolbook Serif Alphabet, Oh So Lovely (Hostess Set), Ink - Close to Cocoa (Sponging), Cardstock - Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa, Designer Paper - Outlaw, Accessories - Sticky Strip, Pewter Jumbo Eyelets, Versamark, White Embossing Powder, Crop-o-dile, Dimensionals, 3/16" Corner Rounder Punch

Trifold Card...

2008-08-09T19:26:00.020+12:00

I decided to try out a colour combination I saw a few weeks ago. It really suprised me as to how well sage shadow and elegant eggplant compliment each other. The flowers are from the Pretties Kit. To dye these I used my elegant eggplant classic ink pad. I simply pressed them onto the pad till I had an even coating. I then used my aqua painter to place a small amount of water into the center of each flower for added depth. My heat tool came in handy to speed up the drying process.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Sweet Thing, Ink - Sage Shadow, Elegant Eggplant, Cardstock - Sage Shadow, Elegant Eggplant, Designer Paper - Outlaw, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Antique Brass Vintage Brads, Versamark, White Embossing Powder, Crop-o-dile, 1-3/8" Square Punch, Pretties Kit, Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon,

The sentiment on the right was heat embossed using white embossing powder and again the flower is from the pretties kit dyed in sage shadow.

Always...

2008-08-03T00:32:00.018+12:00

I absolutely love this sweet little bird. It is from the set called 'Always' in the new mini catalogue. The first time I saw this set I knew I just had to have it.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Baroque Motifs, Always, Ink - Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Stampin Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder, Photo Corner Punch

Best Friends Listen...

2008-08-01T18:02:00.009+12:00

This is my first week back at work after having had a short break, so there hasn't been a lot of time to stamp. I did however manage to make this card. I picked out colours that I wouldn't normally use.

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Set -Baroque Motifs, Garden Whimsey, Ink - Perfect Plun, Pale Plum Cardstock - Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Whisper White, Accessories - Snail Adhesive, Stampin Dimensiionals, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Scorpal

Earthly Tones

2008-07-27T23:56:00.035+12:00

I made this card a couple of days ago. I liked how easily it came together.

Stampin Supplies:

Stamp Set -Leaves a la Carte (Jumbo Wheel), Carte Postale, Sincere Salutations, Ink - Chocolate Chip, Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Accessories - Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Small Cream Halfback Pearl (Pretties Kit), Snail Adhesive, Tombow Liquid Glue

The second card is one I cassed from Kim Teasdale's Blog, Paper in the Works. I wanted to showcase the fabulous designer papers available through Stampin' Up.

Stampin Supplies:

Stamp Set -n/a, Ink - Close to Cocoa (Sponged edges), Cardstock - Close to cocoa, River Rock, Very Vanilla, Designer Paper - Brocade Background, Accessories - Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Large Cream Halfback Pearls (Pretties Kit), Snail Adhesive, Tombow Liquid Glue, Nestabilitie Dies

Welcome to my new blog.....

2008-07-26T23:57:00.002+12:00

This is my place to share my cards and creations with you. I hope that I can inspire you as much as others have for me.