Coffee

Unrelated to anything crafty, but another of my passions - coffee.  Just had to stop here for a taster on our way from San Francisco to the Napa Valley last year.  And yeah - it was BAD ass coffee!

I even have a coffee t-shirt on with a pic of a coffee cup and the words "Start me up"!!!

My New Stampin' Up! Website

Well I'm a happy little bunny tonight!  I have my SU website set up and although there's a ton of company content that's still to come (in the U.S. it's huge), I'm excited that we're up and running here.  The nicest thing about it, is the ability to list all my events really easily in calendar format, and add projects as I create them.  Then there's the shopping opportunity for my customers.  I find internet shopping is a blessing so I'm hoping this will be available here soon too.  It saves time, things are delivered to me at home & I don't have to spend hours driving around "looking" for things that I may not find anyway.  Browsing our products has never been so easy.  However, if you want your own catalogue rather than the online view, be sure to let me know and I'll be happy to drop one off to you.  You can phone or email an order to me any time.

One Sheet Wonders

I've been wanting to do a Christmas OSW (One Sheet Wonder) for a while, and finally got around to designing my own after so much inspiration from some wonderful demonstrators that I follow regularly (see my list on the left).
Anyway, this one is done using the stamp set Season of Joy (#113023) & Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper (#112469).  I used one sheet of Whisper White cardstock for the stamped images, and the idea is that you divide your cardstock up first and then stamp your images all at one time.   Then you cut up the sheet, and you're ready to go.   I then added 4 sheets of coloured cardstock - I used 1 each of Ruby Red, Old Olive, Baja Breeze & Chocolate Chip.  Each sheet gets cut in half to make your 8 base cards.  You could easily     simplify your set by using only one or two colours of cardstock as well.  I choose the colours based on the Designer Series Paper, by the way.  It makes it really easy to whip up a number of cards in one go because all your inks, paper & cardstock co-ordinate so well.  I then added embellishments as needed - some ribbon, brads & a few pearls from the Pretties Kit (109114)- I've had that kit a long time, and let me tell you, it was worth every cent because it just goes on and on!
TIP - don't forget you can use your punches for quick embellishments & extra details as well.
The nice thing about this OSW is that you create 8 cards in a flash - and they're all different.   I HATE production lines, that's what Hallmark is for!

I might even do this for my Holiday Stamp Camp in November - Expressions of interest invited!
Leave me a comment if you like what you see.   Come to a class if you want cards like these for the special people in your life this Christmas.

What I've been doing

The last couple of days of the school hols have been busy, busy, busy.   Had a great time but not doing enough crafting so tonight I was fiddling around putting the final touches to a birthday gift and card.
What do ya think?

I've made this bag before but in a smaller size.  Had to devise an enlargement as the gift was bigger than expected!   Anyway, after some thought and a good ol' measure with the SU grid paper - couldn't do without that, I can tell you - I'd worked it out.  And I think it looks extra pretty with the choc chip sides.  
Supplies  - 2 sheets of DSP from Love Sparkles Simply Scrappin Kit, Chocolate Chip textured cardstock, 4 jumbo brads, 80cm of grosgrain ribbon in Chocolate Chip - I used the 5/8" because it's chunky.  Tools used were the cropadile, large heart punch, scallop circle punch & 1 3/8" circle & 1 1/4" circle punches.  
Quick Tip: when making bags or boxes, use Sticky Strip to hold them together.  Snail just won't go the distance.

Here's the card.  Don't you love this colour combo?  It's a piece of Le Jardin that I was lucky to find because it was one of my favourites last year....or was it the year before?  Anyway, the colours in it are Bashful Blue, So Saffron & Always Artichoke, in case you want to find something similar.  The plain cardstock is Bashful Blue & the ribbon, my fav Choc Chip.  I've used Gallery Stamp Set and cut the image out after stamping it in Choc Chip on Very Vanilla Cardstock.   The letter I, is a chipboard letter which I've covered liberally in snail and then piled with fine glitter in the darkest chocolate I could find.   Voila!  
Leave me a comment if you like it.   I'm happy to share a "How to" sheet if you want to do the bag.
Until next time, get stamping!

More pics from the school holiday class

October School Holiday Class

Today was the school holiday class, and I thought you'd like to see what the girls made.  We did a set of 12 cards & envelopes in a handmade box.  And everyone had lovely & innovative ideas.

Thanks girls - you were wonderful students!  I hope you enjoyed the day as much as I did and are happy with your creations.  Come back soon!

More Pics

Set of 3 as a commission for my friend Terri in San Diego.

The Designer Series Paper is Le Jardin.  I don't think it's available anymore but it's colours were Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue and So Saffron.  Winning combination when you throw in some Chocolate Chip.

Picture decor

I totally cased this one from SU as I'd never done a picture before - I made this last year.  Some of the images are a little different but I've used the same colour scheme and layout.  It just works so well, and I figure you shouldn't mess with perfection!  I'm gifting it to a very special person this year.  Sorry about the picture quality - that's my silhouette!

Pictures

I love creating pictures for the special people in my life & I always find something in the SU catalogue that inspires me.   My close friend's daughter is about to have a birthday, and after seeing an idea in the US catty I came up with this.  Hope you like it!  And she does too!
Supplies:  Great Friend Stamp Set, Very Vanilla, Kraft & Not Quite Navy cardstock & paper.  Accents are all in Real Red - beads, glitter & mat layer.

Christmas Card Ideas #4

White on white. My pic's not too good - sorry! Anyway, I used the Glossy White Cardstock with the Tree Trimmings stamped in versamark and embossed with white. Used the large circle punch - US only; Aussies can used a circle cutting system though! The snow flake is from Snow Swirled.

Christmas Card Ideas #3

This one's just cute. Very simple design and I love that wide striped ribbon (it's in the Holiday mini catalogue so you can have it too!).

Christmas Card Ideas #2

Really wanted to try some other things with Tree Trimmings so here's my #2 with a scallop oval punched out of the front of the card and the message stamped inside. I used the large oval punch to make the Baja Breeze border inside the scallop.

Christmas Card Ideas #1

This was cased from an idea I saw on scs - didn't note the name, sorry. But I loved it and thought it was a good warm up. I've used Holiday Treasures DSP & the Tree Trimmings Stamp Set.

Christmas Planning

This is the best time of year for getting going on your Christmas cards...why? Because it's still early enough to play around with all those wonderful products until you find what you really like. I usually do a card with a family picture, but haven't decided on the picture yet, so while that idea takes shape I thought I'd play with some of my new and not-so-new Christmas stamps for inspiration. Check out my pics - sorry, hurriedly taken so not the best angles - for your inspiration.If you really want to turn out your hand made cards in a hurry this year, consider a Simply Scrappin' kit from Stampin' Up! Or team a pack of Christmas Designer Series paper with your favourite stamp set, and if you add a bit of bling in the form of rhinestone brads or glitter, you'll be amazed at how quick and easy it is. Click on the SU link to choose your supplies and I'll have them delivered to you in no time.