Balloons!

I know this has nothing to do with cards but I still wanted to share this with you- I found this idea on Pinterest and as soon as I saw it I just had to try it! I ended up making this for my kids birthday party last month. It didnt last the full day- what with the wind and the kids giving it a hard time!

Stamping on Soap

Have you ever tried to stamp onto soap? At the end of last year I had a techniques class for stamping on candles and while everyone was stamping their designs, Leanne and I had a little play with some soap! It seemed to work okay so I thought I might try some more for little Christmas presents for my Mum and my Mother-in- Law. I pulled out my old "Bloom Away" I know its retired but its such a great stamp set- very Aussie!!

What do you think? If you would like instructions on how I did this just leave me a comment- I love to read your comments! I know its been ages since I have put anything on here but everytime I seem to get to the computer I spend my time on Pinterest instead of blogging!! One of these days I'll get around to adding more pics!

Best Of 25 Years!

Click here to see stamp sets

As part of Stampin' Up! 25-year anniversary celebration, theyre bringing back some of our favourite stamp images from the last quarter century and combining them into five sets, which will release-one set per month-until April 2014. Even better, along with some great classic images, each "Best of" set will also include a never-before-seen image!

•All Best of stamp sets will include 3-5 images, including a never-before seen image, and will be priced at $25.95.

•While we are releasing just one Best of stamp set per month (with a new theme each month) until October, all of the Best of sets will be available until April 2014.

•A new flyer will be released every month for each new Best of set.

•All Best of stamp sets are available in Clear-Mount only.

•The stamp images may be sized differently from the original stamp sets.

To see the images, check them out at my website you can also now shop online from there too 24/7 and have your order sent straight to your door, as always if you have any questions or would like to place an order with me over the phone please contact me as I am always happy to help.

Single Stamps!

From now until 31 August 2013 (or while supplies last) we're excited to offer you five single-image stamps for you to choose from!

Click here to view stamps

•You can find the stamp item numbers on the flyer.
•These won't be sent in our typical cases or packaging; they'll be packaged in cello bags. If you'd like a case for your stamp, you can buy our Clear-Mount Stamp Cases that come in packs of four (pg7 of catalogue- item number 119105)

•This offer is available for clear-mount stamps only.

•The stamps won't come with a Clear-Mount Block, and you'll need to purchase a block separately if you don't already have one. The recommended block sizes can be found on the flyer. (Block E- item number 118484)

•There's no limit on how many stamps you can purchase.

•These stamps are only available through 31 August 2013, so get them while you can!
check out my website where you can also order online

Retired List Starts Today

Dates: 31 May-1 July 2013 (items available while supplies last)
Hundreds of stamps and accessories from the 2012-2013 catalogues are retiring, and this is your chance to get them before they're gone. Many products are only available while supplies last, so be sure to get your orders in early!
Click here to see the retiring list and you can now order straight from my online store- any time of the day or night and your order will be shipped straight to your door- how neat is that?! You can still always contact me to place your orders anytime.

Some items are up to 50% off, these wont last for long.
A few of my favourites are going including...
"French Foliage" w $34.95, c$20.96 (yes that is 25%off the clear)
"Itty Bitty Bits" w$20.95, c$12.71 (yes there is also 25% off the clear set too)
don't forget the coordinating Bitty Buttons for $8.95  that are on the retiring accessories list.
There are too many to mention so check them out for yourself!

Remember that with the new catalogue comes new colours so if your favourites are going then they will be on this retiring list and most are selling out quick- once they are gone that's it- you wont be able to get them again.

Mother's Day class

This was our Mothers Day class that we had earlier this month. I had been working on this design for some time and had asked my ladies what kind of cards would they like to put inside a little box.... they said fancy and a mixture of the rose card from the fancy class and the re inker spread technique which was perfect as I had been planning on using the "Secret Garden" set- it even has matching framelits so no more fussy cutting!

I had been playing around with making a suitcase and started off with making one out of plain white card until I got the style and measurements right.

It is based on the old "Globight" bags that we had as kids! I played around with a couple of clasp ideas- I was planning on using velcro but by using just punches and brads it seemed to hold closed OK. It holds all four cards with envelopes.

The cards are all the same- pink pirouette and crumb cake with shimmer white. All of the flowers and leaves are stamped on shimmer white- Ive found that it works best for water colouring, plus it has a beautiful sparkle!

We used the paper piercing pack to pierce around the window framelit. I usually give my ladies a special little something when its near Christmas and I thought since its Mothers day I would make them each a bow maker to use on the day and take home. Tying a double bow like this on a bow maker is so much easier then trying to do it around your fingers!!

The four cards were all blank so they could be used for any occasion- the plan was to be able to give this as a gift but I think every one of my customers are keeping them! After I glued the DSP onto the lace ribbon I decided I should have put it on top so all of the ones we made in the classes the ribbon is on top of the DSP just like on the easel card.

This is the Mothers day card we made to co-ordinate with the set. I wanted to make it that extra special and so I made it into an easel card.

It is the same layout as the others but we added the scallop tulle along the bottom and stitched it in place with the sewing machine.

This is what it looks like opened but in the class we actually had a layer of shimmer white on top of the pink- it just makes it a little easier to read for some plus it ties in with the front. The inside of the cards looked like this with the lace ribbon minus the button. The button helps hold the card open! Of course there is crochet thread wrapped around and tied in a little bow!

The stamp sets used were "Secret Garden" and "Wonderful Mother".

Male Class

These are the cards that we made at our male class.

They were all blank inside so they could choose what kind of card they would like to use them as later.

The first one uses the "Lovely as a Tree" set which we coloured in with markers. We also stamped off the acorn image for the background.

The second has the ute from the "Countryside" set. We embossed the background with the argle embossing folder and then rubbed a sponge over the top with a little soft suede and cajun craze to bring out the detail.

I know the "Sail Away" set is no longer available but I really wanted to show them this style but never got around to it when it was still current. We masked the sun and using sponges coloured in the setting sun and I also showed them how to make puffy clouds!

The last card was the watch. I had seen on the net where people (Im sorry Im not sure who it was) had flattened the soda pop tops and used the "Dapper Dad" watch but I had an idea to make an actual watch so using my own as a guide I embossed the band and using some silver shim, the word window and modern label punch made the watch band. To make the watch face I used a mixture of "Clockworks" and "Collage Curios" then covered the face with crystal effects to give it a sheen.