Surf's Up for Christmas!

Oh, how good it is to have time to play with my stamp sets! I love having them but it really is a waste of money if they just sit on the shelf - even if they do look pretty.

Last night I had a night to myself so I played with one of the new Christmas sets in the Spring 09 Mini Catalogue - Season's Surfin'. I just had to buy this set - I love the images - they are perfect for watercolouring. The first card is very non-traditional Christmas colours - Real Red and Brilliant Blue. I didn't set out to use these colours, they just came out of my watercolouring. I stamped the image on watercolour paper using Black Staz-On ink. I coloured the images using an Aquapainter and Watercolour Wonder crayons. The line of gold brads along the bottom was inspired by the yellow Christmas lights around the jet-ski.

This palm tree Christmas tree is just so cute! I coloured it very simply with Gorgeous Green leaves and Close to Cocoa trunk (Aquapainter and Watercolour Wonder crayons as above). I decided this one should be more traditional colours so the base is Gorgeous Green and the images are mounted on Real Red. I just had to put the greeting on an angle - it didn't look right straight!


I hope that this inspires you to get a start on your Christmas cards too. It is never too early, you know.

PS Sorry about the fuzzy photos - I couldn't get them any clearer than this.

Technique Class

I ran a techniques' class last Sunday afternoon. We made the following cards:

This one was requested by one of attendees. She wanted to learn how to fold the Origami Shirt. This is a great male card - whether for a birthday as I have made it or for Father's Day. I took the colour scheme from the DSP (Washington pack) - Bashful Blue, So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie - but I substituted Riding Hood Red for Real Red as I love using the In Colours.

This one uses the Sense of Time stamp set from our Spring Mini Catalogue. I love this set as it really works well for male cards (do you see a theme developing here?). We used the Cracked Glass technique on the clock face to give it a fabulous aged look. Again, the colours came from the DSP (Parisian Breeze Specialty) - Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze and Kraft. We stamped the clock face on Confetti Cream to accentuate the aged look and I aged it further by sponging Chocolate Chip ink over the Cracked Glass face.

Our bonus card got us started on making Christmas Cards. It is a tri-fold card with a difference. You can get the instructions here. I just love making these cards - they are so much easier than they look. I have kept this one simple using just 2 colours - Riding Hood Red for the card base and the same DSP paired with Kiwi Kiss for the tree image (which is embossed in gold). I have the cardstock cut for a few more of these all ready to go so I think that is what I'll do tomorrow night (I was going to do it tonight but Blogger has been very slow to load my photos).

Sorry I've been away so long

I have been frantically busy at work - bringing work home most nights and sometimes over the weekend too - for the last month but I haven't been totally neglecting my stamping. I ran a workshop a couple of weeks ago and, at the host's request, we played with the Shaving Cream technique. This technique is a lot of fun and produces a great result but it is quite messy so be prepared for some clean up if you try it. Below are the 2 cards we made.

These cards use the background created with the Shaving Cream technique (ink colours Baja Breeze and Pacific Point) and the stamp set - Unchartered Territory. As Father's Day in Australia is this coming Sunday I challenged myself to use the Shaving Cream technique on cards for men. The top card adds texture to the edges of the Pacific Point mats using the distressing tool from the SU Cutter Kit. I used Paper Piecing for the lighthouse and cliff on the second card. I was really pleased with these two cards and so were the ladies at the workshop.

Stamp Camp Creations

I ran a Stamp Camp with a sister SU Demo, Natasha Murray, in June. We each presented 3 projects - a card, a 6"x6" scrapbook page and a 3-d item. Our theme was Paper, Ribbon and Punches. Here are mine (the first 2 are CASE'd from the current SU Idea Book and Catalogue here in Australia):

This card used a technique I had wanted to use for a while - bleaching. The Hippo was black embossed on Kiwi Kiss cardstock and then bleached was applied using a paintbrush. I was thrilled with the effect - the Kiwi Kiss turned to So Saffron. The "balloon" has Dazzlin' Diamonds over the Pumpkin Pie heart for some bling.

On this scrapbook page I managed to use all three of our theme items (DSP, Ribbon and a Punch (Crop-a-dile). The base is Certainly Celery textured cardstock (I love the textured cardstock). I used the Big Bold Birthday set to create the cupcake, using the Stamp-a-ma-jigto make sure everything was correctly aligned. The Crop-a-dile was used to emboss the dots down the right-hand side.

I have been wanting to make one of these Coaster boxes ever since I saw one on the blog of one of my SBS sisters, Karen Rogers. I sourced the coasters through Karen (thanks so much) and used a tutorial from SCS for the instructions. The stamp set is A Rose is A Rose, a 2-step set which I adore. The DSP comes from the Bella Rose pack (another favourite).

For the projects that Natasha contributed go to her blog Natasha's Creations.

I have been playing with the new sets from the Australia/NZ Spring Mini Catalogue so I'll have some more creations to show you soon.

Bye for now.

2 in 1!

I am having so much fun now I am stamping again!

I decided to play along with Janet's Corrosive Challenge this week. It was an inspiration challenge.

This is the inspiration picture. I just love the colours in the clothes and hair of these dolls. However, I was having trouble with a layout so I decided to use Janet's Corrosive Challenge 21 which was a sketch challenge.

This got my mojo going again! And here is the result.

The colours are Elegant Eggplant for the base card, Ballet Blue, Pixie Pink, Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink. The image and sentiment are from Crazy for Cupcakes. I really love this card! I hope Janet doesn't mind that I moved the sentiment.

Stay tuned for more creations from a Stamp Camp I helped with in July.

Yes, I'm Still Alive!

Hi everyone!

Yes, I am still alive! No, I didn't catch the swine flu, although we did have 7 days in home quarantine after our return from the USA.

Life has been very hectic since my return, hence I haven't posted until now. In fact, I haven't done much stamping until now.

I have a friend who is having twins in a month or so and I managed to sit down and make her a set of birth announcements last week. However, the batteries in my camera died and I didn't have a spare set so no photo!

I did sit down after dinner tonight and make my own version of the Flower Pot Card that was published in the SCS Weekly Inkling newsletter this week. I'm really happy with it.

The "pot" is Tangerine Tango. The insert is Whisper White on Tangerine Tango. The "flowers" are made using a scallop circle punch with Flower Fusion felt flowers adhered on the top and attached with brads. It really is quite a simple card. This one is on it's way to my sister as a very belated birthday card. I used Curvy Verses for the sentiment inside and Cute & Curly for the tag.

Sorry about being MIA

Hi everyone,

Please accept my apologies for not posting during April (I can't believe it has been a whole month). I have been very busy with work and getting ready for our US holdiay - which begins tonight! I will definitely be off-line for the next 3 weeks but pleased check back at the end of the month when I return - hopefully full of energy and suffering withdrawals after 3 weeks without stamping!

Bye for now.

Mel's Challenge # 13

Mel's Challenge this week is to make a Trifold card, like her sample. It is a triangular trifold card. I first made one these the day I met Mel at a Stamp Camp. Mine is pictured below:

I used one of the new sets from the new catalogue with this card too. I used some retiring colours in this project, just for one last look. The base cardstock is Ruby Red. I layered the inside with Groovy Guava and River Rock (2 of the In Colours that finish up today). The DSP is from the Ginger Blossom pack (also retiring today). The image on the outside was stamped on Watercolour Paper and coloured with a Cameo Coral Stampin' Write marker, blended with an Aquapainter. This was layered the same as the inside piece. The ribbon is the double-stitched grosgrain in Groovy Guava (yes, also finishing up today).

A very cute, different card. I hope you like it.

Nerine's Layout Challenge

I actually had time to make a card for Nerine's Layout Challenge this week. What a great layout!

I have used one of the new sets from the new catalogue. The card base is Mellow Moss. I stamped this image on Watercolour Paper and coloured it using an Aquapainter and Classic Ink pads (Bravo Burgundy and Handsome Hunter). It is layered on a piece of Handsome Hunter which was then torn along one side. The 3 brads are from the Rich Regals pack. The ribbon is Bravo Burgundy wide grosgrain.

This card is now on its way to my Aunt who turns 70 this week. Happy Birthday Aunty Dorothy!

Is it really Christmas already?

Well, no, it's not but Janet's Corrosive Challenge this week is to make a Christmas card with an animal on it. I don't have many Christmas sets which include animals so this was a real challenge for me. I decided to use Crab and Co (retiring in 2 days!) and this is my card:

The base is Real Red, layered with Whisper White and then Real Red again (original heh?). I stamped the images on Whisper White with Black Staz-On and coloured then using a Blender Pen and Stampin' Pastels. I then cut out all the images and mounted them using Stampin' Dimensionals. A very simple card but effective.

Come back and visit tonight for a sneak peak at one of the sets in the new catalogue.

A Small Gift

I made this small gift for a friend of mine. On the left is a little box I covered with a sleeve and on the right is the card to go with the gift.

The gift sleeve is made from Rose Red cardstock with a Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon tied around it. The heart is from the Priceless set and is stamped in Rose Red on Blush Blossom textured cardstock. I cut it out and mounted it on Basic Black before using Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere it to the sleeve.

The card is a Whisper White love note. I stamped the swirl from Priceless twice in Rose Red. The heart is as per the gift.

I know my friend really liked this little gift. What do you think?

Corrosive Challenges No 4

This week's challenge theme at Corrosive Challenges was Under the Sea. Not a very easy one for me. I used Ocean Commotion, stamped the angelfish (?) image in Brilliant Blue on Yoyo Yellow. I then stamped the seaweed image in Glorious Green on Bashful Blue. To get the image of the fish facing the other way I inked the stamp then ran my brayer over it to pick up the image and then ran the brayer over the cardstock - an effective way to reverse an image (as long as it fits around the brayer circumference). The base of the card is Brillian Blue, layered with Rose Red. The ribbons are Whisper White grosgrain I dyed Rose Red using a Stampin' Write marker. I have actually layered a sheet of acetate over the Bashful Blue before I added the ribbons to give a fish tank effect (unfortunately, this is not picked up by the camera).

We attended a Fortieth Birthday Party on Saturday for 2 members of my husband's gold club, one of whom is also a friend of our family. We had a great night. Above are the cards I made for the 2 gentlemen in question. The Back Nine is a retired SU set but it is the only golf related set I have so I had to use it. It do love - it colours so well.


This card was for Hank. I really love how easy it is to colour this image.


I had the design for this card in my head all last week so it went together really easily. I just had to stamp 4 golf bags as the recipient (Stu) was turning forty. I made the inside of each card the same :
My husband appreciated both these cards as much as the recipients.

Corrosive Challenges No 3

This was my sample for Janet's latest challenge over at Corrosive Challenges - going green! I tried really hard to make an all green card but it just didn't work for me. Instead, I decided to make these gorgeous little handbags - the idea came to me from Karen Robinson on a card I received in a swap. They are made using various SU punches - aren't they just too cute! If you came to my March techniques class you were lucky enough to learn how to make them too.

The main colour in this card is green - Certainly Celery. The accent colours are Apricot Appeal, Lavendar Lace and Blush Blossom - courteousy of the Colour Coach, of course.

I really enjoy making these little handbags - so great for embellishments on cards or scrapbook pages.

I have just placed my Demonstrator pre-order for the new Idea Book and Catalogue and some of the new products! I'm getting very excited as the launch is only 2 weeks away! I can't wait to get that lovely new catalogue in my hands.

If you would like to get a copy of the new IBC as soon as it is released, all you need to do is register for my April Techniqes Class. We will be playing with stamp sets from the new IBC, along with the new In-Colours, using some "Faux" techniques - faux linen, faux stitching and faux silk. These techniques will add a special touch to all your projects so I'm sure you won't want to miss out. The class is on Sunday 5th April at 1.30pm. The cost is only $20 and includes a copy of the new IBC! What a bargain. Registration is essential so just click on the email link on the right to send me an email if you want to use one of the limited places.

That's it for now. See you next time.

A Journey

Good morning everyone.

I have just 2 quick comments this morning:

1. I have reached my first weightloss goal - to weigh less than 90 kgs. As of this morning my weight is 89.1 kgs. This is the first time I have weighed less than 90 kgs in a lot of years.

2. I am posting early this morning as at 7am I get on a small plane to fly to an Aboriginal Community on the Gulf of Carpentaria. I will be there until Friday afternoon. Please accept my apologies for not posting until next weekend - I know that there is mobile phone covereage and internet access but I can't take a lot of luggage with me on the plane so no stamping equipment can go! :( How will I survive?

When I get home on Friday I know I'll have to stamp so look out for some projects next weekend.

Another box

I just had to make another little box, this time with a matching Thank you card. This box contained a small hand cream as a Thank you gift for the host of a Mary Kay cosmetics class on Sunday.

The box was made using Groovy Guava, Blush Blossom and Cameo Coral cardstock. The stamp is from the Polka Dot Punches from the soon-to-finish Summer Mini Catalogue. I used a Very Vanilla Love Note for the card.

Thanks for visiting. See you next time.

Corrosive Challenges Design Team

I'm part of it! I still have to pinch myself a bit to make sure it is true. Janet, from Niagara Falls, Canada, asked me to be part of the Design Team for a new challenge blog she has started, Corrosive Challenges. The first challenge was loaded yesterday. It is a sketch challenge.

My contribution is below.

I'm not sure why I chose to make it a masculine card except I don't make them very often and I love the set from our Summer Mini, For Father. I stamped the toolbox image using Black Stazon on Watercolour paper and coloured it using and Aquapainter and Watercolour Wonder crayons. It was mounted on So Saffron and then Old Olive. The base card is Bordering Blue, stamped with the Lots of Dots Jumbo Wheel. The sentiment is from Congratluations, stamped in Close to Cocoa on a scrap of Watercolour paper. The ribbon is Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla. I made the faux brads to be like nails on either side of the sentiment by punching circles of Close to Cocoa cardstock, adhering them in place with a glue pen and covering them with Crystal Effects.

Why don't you go an visit Corrosive Challenges and check out what the rest of team have done.

Brocade Basics Box

I have actually been stamping this week but my creations were for a swap (the time isn't over yet so I can't reveal the card) and a new challenge blog (which is a secret until 1st March) so I thought I had better do something I could show you.

The design of this box is by Michelle, an SU demo in NZ who was part of the Design Team for the latest UStamp. Isn't it cute? The stamp is from the Brocade Basics set. I used Wild Wasabi cardstock and ink, Whisper White cardstock and Close to Cocoa DSP. The ribbon is striped grosgrain in Wild Wasabi. This whole project went together in about 20 minutes. Gotta luv that!

Well, I hope I'll be back with another project tomorrow.

"Thank You" Boxed Set

I attended a wedding last Saturday afternoon. I told the bride that my gift to her and her new husband would be to make her Thank You card. This is what I came up with. The box is based on the one in my previous post - I increased the dimensions so it was large enough for 16 cards and envelopes. The bride and groom are both Sri Lankan by birth and the bride's dress was a stunning red sari. I took my inspiration from that sari. The image and the sentiment are from the Artfully Asian set. I stamped the blossom branch in Basic Black on Real Red cardstock and coloured the blossoms with a Gold gel pen (non-SU). I mounted the image on metallic gold cardstock. The base card is also Real Red that I stamped using the Sanded background stamp for some texture. The sentiment is gold embossed.

I hope that they like this set.

Wild About UStamp

I have joined UStamp 09 SAB - what fantastic projects they have. This is one of them - 5 cards with a matching box. It uses all product that we have here in Australia. The stamp set is Wild ABout You. The DSP is Bali Breeze - love it!!! This was really easy to make using just basic techniques.

I will be planning a Stamp Camp later in the year (maybe April) and we will be completing projects like this one so if you are in Katherine NT and would like to be kept informed of details, just let me know.

Iris Twist Card

This card is based on one from the current UStamp. It was designed by the German member of the UStamp team, Irene. I used Old Olive for the base cardstock and Rose Red DSP for the "Twist". The flower is 3 felt flowers held together with a Rhinestone brad. The sentiment comes from the set G'Day Mate. It is white embossed. I nearly made this card using no stamps but I didn't have a rub-on sentiment that I was happy to use.

Just a short post today but it is time to leave for work. See you next time.