How was your weekend?  Mine was busy and lots of fun with a mix of family time, craft and a bit of computer thrown in.  (OK I'm a bit crossed eyed here so it might have been quite a lot of keyboard tapping!)

Newsletter

I have been putting the finishing touches on my May newsletter.  It includes some tips (and photos) on what to do with your stamp sets once they've arrived (including one step I've only recently learnt that is especially useful for getting great prints from solid image stamps.)  Pop your email address in the box at the left there if you'd like to join my newsletter subscribers list then keep an eye on your inbox at the start of each month.   

Bonus Tutorial

Each month you will also receive a free tutorial with your newsletter.  This month I'll show you how to make a lovely card holder.  It holds 5 cards and envelopes and makes a great gift.   (This card holder and design is from Marelle Taylor.  I love her style and would recommend her site for a browse.) I've used the In Colours - Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi and Purely Pomegranate - for this one.

I stamped the flowers in Basic Black then coloured them in with a blender pen dipped in Wild Wasabi and Purely Pomegranate ink.  The flowers are from one of the Greetings Galore stamps.  I just inked up the flowers, not the greeting below.  The card holder is tied with some Groovy Guava double stitched ribbon.  I think the double stitched ribbons are about my favourite this year.

Hint: For those people out there who have the Greetings Galore stamp set or Fun and Fast Notes, I saw a great idea for mounting the stamps in a different way.  Claire cut the greeting off and stuck it to the side of the stamp block with the picture section on the usual part of the block.  This makes it even easier to use just the greeting or just the picture.  If you think you'd often use the text and image separately, this might be something you'd like to try. 

Tomorrow I'll make the 5 matching cards to go inside.  (Oops - will have to undo that nice bow!)  I'm making another card holder and cards for a prize at next weekend's Picture to Page Craft Show in Burwood.  I'm using Seeing Spots and Whisper White craft ink so it is sitting there waiting to dry before I assemble it.  Do you like craft shows??  I'll be there on Sunday 4th May at the Stampin' Up! stand so pop by if you are in the neighbourhood.  (For more details click on the Picture to Page link down the left column.)

Candles

I've always loved candles.  Hannah seems to have inherited this as she often gets a candle out to decorate the dinner table.

I stamped this one using the leaf from the Touch Of Nature stamp set. (Thanks Lisa for bringing it by for a visit!)  Some matching ribbon to finish it off. 

We'll be learning how to stamp on candles at my May technique class on Tuesday 13th May at 7.30pm.  We'll also be making some cards using the masking technique.  Phone/email to book a spot.   Class fee: $15.  For more on this plus May Stamp A Stack Card Making Session details, see the May Classes link there at the left.

The Young Ones

That is it for today on the craft side but for those family, friends and others interested in munchkin snaps - here are a few more.

And the last word for tonight can go to Goggles Boy here!     Boo ....

Cheers,  Sue

Hello - me again!

I've noticed quite a few visitors from a little further afield lately - the US and Britain mainly.  G'day from Australia!

Thought I should post a couple of 'Aussie' pics amongst the cards so have been searching through my old holiday snaps to see what I could come up with. 

We are in Melbourne (in the south east of mainland Australia.)  Here is a shot with the city and Arts Centre Spire in the background.  This was when the Commonwealth Games were being held and the fish displays you can just see there on the Yarra River were part of the festivities.

Thought I should find some of our unique animals too.  Here is one I found of Hannah and a kangaroo (or perhaps a wallaby - can't quite tell, they look alike!) Don't you love her binoculars! Plus another below that with a koala.

And this is the only beach shot I could find in a hurry today.  Taken when we were on visiting the coastal town of Portland (to the west of Melbourne, not far before you get to South Australia.)  It was a chilly morning.  Nice for a brisk walk along the beach.

Anyway that is just a little scenery snippet there from the photo collection.   Hello to anyone taking a peek from across the seas!  Its a small world really isn't it.

Take care,  Sue

I have been having so much fun making cards that it seems like ages since I have done any scrapbooking.  Today I got out my Simply Scrappin' Kit (Secret Garden) and started the little 'Family Ancestors' album I've been meaning to do.  I want to include some of my favourite photos of relatives from long ago from my side of the family and from John's.   I am a keen photographer and some of the photos really appeal to me.  The stern faces and formal clothes, and sometimes just a twinkle in the eye or a hint of a smile. 

These pages haven't scanned too clearly.  If I get a chance I'll take photos and replace the scanned ones here. 

I put the collage of photos together (just in a word document) then printed it off onto Very Vanilla cardstock.  It looked lovely and soft - I was glad I didn't use glossy photo paper for this opening page.  I am still finishing off the front cover page so will post that another time.   Another hint - I found a page a lovely person in the States has put together with RGB values for all of the Stampin' Up! Colours so I could type the values in on the custom colours selector and print my journalling out in Always Artichoke (or very close to it anyway.)   Just type SU colours RGB values into Google and you will find a few different sites that list these.   

I love the colours in this kit - Always Artichoke, Old Olive, River Rock and Groovy Guava.   The border pieces and flourishes will be handy for this album too.  And one of the patterned papers has lines so I am going to cut one page up and use small pieces of it for journalling my little collected snippets of information about each photo.

The album I am making is a 6 x 6 inch size so the papers in the kit go a long way.  Each of the border strips from the self adhesive die cuts is 12 inches so I get 2 from each strip for my little album. 

Here is another double page spread.  (As you can see I have yet to gather any snippets about this stern looking lady! Mum and dad are holidaying so that will have to await their return!)

(By the way - that page is a little straighter than that in real life - looks a bit wonky on the scan!)

Also got the camera out today for some candid portraits of the kids.  (Well - had to settle for shots of Hannah mainly, getting Jack to stay still for photos is quite an art in itself!)   LOVE this one I got of Hannah.

And thought I'd pop out from behind the lens for a while - John took this one of me and my snuggly two.

My lads!

And that's it for today.  Happy Scrapping!   Cheers, Sue

My new favourite colour is Purely Pomegranate I think.  Each year Stampin' Up! has 6 In Colours that are only available for 12 months.  Purely Pomegranate is my favourite of this year's batch.  I got some cardstock, double stitched ribbon, ink and a Stampin' Around Wheel cartridge in it and have been having fun playing.  I love this card - simple but I think it just works.

I used my new jumbo Stampin' Around Leaves A La Carte Wheel and a Purely Pomegranate cartridge that I made using an uninked cartridge and a refill bottle of the Pomegranate ink. 

Just add drops to the cartridge and rub them in with the tip of the refill bottle, and hey presto you can get rolling.  (If there are other colours you would like for your wheels and they are not available as a cartridge this is the way you can still have them. Uninked cartridges are on page 151.) 

I ran the roller over the top of my white piece of card to do the leaves.  Hint:  Apply pressure evenly when you are using your wheel. 

Then I attached some double stitched ribbon.  (Really like the look of the ribbon.)  The metal ribbon holder there is from my tin of Hodgepodge.

I stamped the greeting (Sincere Salutations) in the bottom right with Purely Pomegranate ink and then glued the whole white piece to a Purely Pomegranate base card.  Took about 10 minutes tops I think!

And here is that watercoloured flower I posted a few days ago.  It made it onto a card at last.

Instructions for the watercolouring are a few days back on a previous post.  I matted the white piece with Purely Pomeg (henceforth known as PP!)  and black card. 

My base card is PP again and I attached a piece of torn vellum to one side.  (I put the adhesive underneath where the flower image was going to be sitting.) 

Attached the flower piece over the top and added some white narrow grosgrain ribbon and some more of the PP double stitched ribbon to make a border down the right hand side.

Newsletter Sign Up Button

Well this morning John took the kids to drop the car in for a service, then went to the playground, and - when he could drag Jack away from the swings - finally got a bus and tram to Highpoint! (Quite an adventure there for my trio!) 

Before I headed off to meet them for a cuppa and a muffin (yum) I fiddled around on the computer and popped one of those nifty little 'Register for my newsletter' buttons onto my blog.  So if you are interested in receiving my Madex Creations Newsletter in your email inbox at the start of each month then simply type in your email address and click 'Go'.  My newsletter includes card ideas, product information, special offers and stamping hints and tips.  I also prepare a tutorial each month with step by step instructions and photos for a project - a gift box, card or other item - and send that along with the newsletter.  Of course you can unsubscribe at any time by just clicking the unsubscribe button at the bottom of your email.

Around the House

Thought I'd close off today with a photo I snapped last week one morning.  Hannah spotted 7 hot air balloons in the sky so I grabbed the camera.  Quite a nice sight from our balcony.

Have a great weekend.   Cheers,   Sue

Hello Folks,

I held a Stamp A Stack Card Making Session tonight at my place - a quick hi to those that came along!    Here are some of the cards we made this evening - they make quite an attractive array don't they.  We had fun making them.  Stay tuned for what we will be making in May Stamp A Stack.

I've only just surfaced from a big week of paper chopping!  I organised a paper swap with 15 of my demonstrator friends.  Have chopped 240 sheets of 12 x 12 inch patterned paper into 3 x 3 inch squares to use to make display books.  Here are a couple of my pages - I'm quite chuffed with how they turned out so thought I'd post a photo.   

Anyway - that is what has kept me out of mischief this week! 

Might finish off with a few Hannah Quotes from This Week. 

'Mum I've been a helpful girl this week with my busy legs, not my lazy bum.'

'Mum did you know the lifecycle of a person.  First you are a baby, then a toddler, then a kid, then a school kid, then a teenager, then a human.'    (Aha - anyone out there waiting for the humans to emerge!) 

Jack's Frequently Used Phrases of This Week:

'More Weetbix'  (Do you know he sometimes gets through 3 for breakfast!)    

'Lisa ding ding'  (Which translates something along the lines of Aunty Lisa goes to work on a tram, not Aunty Lisa is a dingaling!)   

'More Thomas' (as in the train)   

'Shoes OFF'

And a quick snap of Jack's first tricycle ride.  Wonder what he is thinking there.  Maybe 'Yes I have a big sister!'  Might have to go buy some spray paint perhaps!! 

Cheers,  Sue 

Hello Again,

Well as I said yesterday a box of supplies arrived - my first order from the new catalogue.  Thought I might show you some of the beaut new bits and pieces.

Here are the In Colours for 2008/2009.  I got a pack of the mixed colour cardstock and 2 ink pads - Purely Pomegranate and Wild Wasabi.  Can't wait to try them out.

I haven't done much scrapbooking lately - having a card making phase - but I ordered one of the Simply Scrappin' kits (Secret Garden) and some rub ons (Cherished Memories) so am all set now.  I want to do an album with photos of some of the family relatives from long ago.  You know - those photos that sit about and half the time you don't know who they are or anything about the person, just that you are in some way related.  I don't really want to do a big involved family heritage album just yet but thought I'd do a small one and just pop in some of the old black and white and sepia photos of our ancestors and a quick bit of info about the person.  (Mum and Fran - Stay tuned for some phone calls and emails - Who is this?? What do you know about them??)

Here are the supplies.  Love the rub ons - a sheet of white and a sheet of black, about 15 x 30cm.  I think they are pretty good value at $19.95.   Who gets out and about in the rub on shops?? What do you think??  The Simply Scrappin' kits come with textured cardstock now.  I think this one will go well with my sepia photos.

Anyway - while I am here thought I'd add a little mini tutorial on watercolouring with an aqua painter and ink pad.

First I stamped the image I wanted to colour in Basic Black.  (You need to use a waterproof ink like Basic Black or Brown or Stazon when you are going to be adding water.) 

To colour it first I squeezed the middle of the ink pad lid. 

Then when you open it you have a smudge of ink on the lid which you can dip your aqua painter in.  (An aqua painter has a water reservoir at the top with a brush on the end.  You can get a pack of 2 from me or you can find them in Riot Art and Craft too.) 

Hint - Practise first on a scrap of paper until you are happy with how much ink and water you have on your brush.  If you have too much water just brush away for a bit until the scrap paper soaks some up.  If you need a little more just give the water reservoir a little squeeze.

You can start out with a little colour then build up more if needed by brushing some more. 

When you are done just wipe the excess ink off the lid.  (You will get a bit of staining. If it bothers you then you can usually remove it with a tissue dampened with Stampin' Mist.)

I used this method to watercolour the poppies here.  (Using the hostess set Oh So Lovely.)  I used Purely Pomegranate for the flowers and a little Basic Black for the stems, plus a touch in the middle of the flower.   Will add it to a card another day.

And that is it from me for today.  Better go check on my napping boy.  He woke up with the miserables and a high temp today and has spent half the morning snuggled up on my lap.  Hope he feels better after a sleep.  (Although I did quite enjoy a nice long snuggle and relax on the couch with my little radiator lad.  Shhhh!)   

Hannah was quite pleased with the whole morning as she got to have a lunch order again.  (Bit easier than making sandwiches with a 19 month old attached at the hip!)

Happy Friday - have a good weekend.

Cheers,  Sue

Hello,

My first order from the new catalogue came today!  (I just love unpacking those boxes.)  So stay tuned for some creations using my new gear. 

I am also in the middle of putting together my April newsletter.  My newsletter includes product tips, card ideas and instructions, and special offers.  This month it comes with a tutorial on how to make these little gift boxes. 

I still haven't put one of those nifty little 'Sign Up for my Newsletter' buttons on this site, but send me an email if you want to subscribe for my e-newsletter.  (I'll be emailing them once a month.)  No need to email again if you ticked the newsletter box at a workshop, or subscribed last month. 

OK that is about it for today but will be back soon with some cards and items using my new Purely Pomegranate ink pad and Leaves A La Carte Jumbo Wheel.  Can't wait to try them out.

Will leave you with another quick photo of the kids.  I snapped this one a few evenings ago.  Jack had brought a pile of books over to be read and since I was in the middle of making dinner he tried Hannah instead.  She enjoyed having him clamber up onto her lap for a 'reading' session.  (She loves to cuddle him WAY more than he wants to sit still for it usually!)  One of those nice moments amongst all the hustle and bustle.

Cheers,  Sue

Hello again,

I had a friend ask me about what cards she could make using a Rich Regals cardstock pack, Greetings Galore Stamp Set and a set of the Rich Regals Markers.  Now I can't resist a challenge so got busy last night and made a few simple cards using just these items.  (OK actually I cheated and added a strip of patterned paper left over from one of the sets I had from the last catalogue - sshh don't tell!)

Did you know you can use your Stampin' Write Markers to colour directly onto your stamp - that is what I have done for these cards.  Quite handy if you want to use more than one colour on the same stamp.  I made the horse tail and mane a darker shade of pink and blue on the baby cards.   You use the brush end and I use the side, not the tip mostly.  The great thing about the markers is that they match the cardstock so it is easy to get a coordinated look.  The little pink card there is attached to the top of a cellophane bag, ready to fill with gifts for a new mum, dad or bub.  Hmmm - can you package up some sleep! 

And now for another card.  I borrowed mum's Seeing Spots stamp set to make this card.  (Thanks Mum!)  And Sincere Salutations for the greeting.

I used Perfect Plum for the base card and stamped it with Versamark and Whisper White craft ink.  Versamark is great as it leaves an image just a shade or two darker than the cardstock - great to use if you don't have many ink  colours.  I like it for backgrounds. On the Confetti White strip I used  Perfect Plum ink stamped off twice on scrap paper to make a light background, then stamped the greeting straight on so it was a darker colour than the spots and flowers.  I layered it with a thin strip of Perfect Plum and a wider strip of Pale Plum.   

And a quick family snap to finish off today.  Some relatives were staying with us recently and brought a giant watermelon that neighbours had grown, so we have been eating watermelon every day.  Here is someone who enjoys his!!  (You can get a glimpse of what is left of the melon in the background, and check out how many slices Jack has devoured!)

What a cutie.  Anyway - we are about to head off for a catch up with some of Hannah's playgroup buddies (and my Mum's Group friends) so better go get organised. 

Cheers,  Sue

Congratulations to Robyn who won my March Blog Subscribers Competition.  A brand new catalogue is on its way to her (posted it yesterday.)  Here is Hannah drawing the winning name out of the basket.  Hope you enjoy browsing through all the goodies in the new catalogue Robyn!

There are some great hostess sets in the new catalogue for anyone considering hosting a workshop (or collecting orders of $300 or more.)  Here is a card I made with one of the level 3 sets - Time Well Spent.  It has 12 stamps in total.  I borrowed it and stamped a few images to colour and create with later.  Here is what I came up with last night.  It is based on the design on page 23 of the Idea Book and Catalogue, always nice to have some inspiration to get started.

I used my Rich Regals markers to add some colour to the stamped image.  The great thing about Stampin' Write Markers is that they match the cardstock so it is easy to get a coordinated look.  I used Regal Rose, Taken With Teal and Rose Red markers and cardstock, plus some Whisper White.   I used my circle punch to punch out a circle for the butterfly to sit on.  My paper snips (great scissors for cutting fine shapes) can be found on page 149.  I stuck the butterfly on with a Stampin' Dimensional - an adhesive foam dot - so that it stands out from the page a bit.   I don't think it shows in the photo but the Time Well Spent section is stuck to the lower layers with foam dots too.  To finish off I used a paper piercer and my mat pack to make a 'dotty' butterfly path.   

Anyway - speaking of time spent with friends, I have some coming over this afternoon so had best get cracking in the kitchen.  Some muffins need baking (I'm afraid they are of the just add water and stir variety - not a handed down recipe from nana - oh dear) and some more tidying up wouldn't go astray!

Before I go, thought I'd add a photo I snapped of the kids 'helping' me unpack the other day.  Yep they unpacked their toothbrushes and hats and thought they'd put them straight to use.

Have been busy making lots more cards so stay tuned - will post some more later this week.

Cheers,   Sue