Just a quick reminder that the Spring Mini catalogue finishes on November 30th.  Have you had your eye on any of the stamp sets, tools, papers or embellishments?  Get in touch by phone or email if you'd like to order any last minute Spring Mini goodies.

Phone:  0417 377 057 or (03) 9325 4913

Email: [email protected]

Cheers,  Sue
 

This year my favourite Christmas stamp set is Snow Swirled.  Who cares if we celebrate Christmas in the warmth of summer - I love those snowflakes! 

I've turned to this card layout time and time again this year - its so easy with a square punch.  Here's some Christmas versions of my favourite 'squares' card layout.

Don't you love that light reflecting off the rhinestone brad - managed to fluke that with my camera!

We did this card at a Christmas workshop on the weekend (hello again to Helen and the girls!) 

I have to thank Nikki Sadler for showing me this nice way to combine ribbon and a rhinestone.   See Nikki's card here that uses a square rhinestone - gorgeous! 

Stamp Set: Snow Swirled

Cardstock/Ink Colours: Old Olive, Real Red and Not Quite Navy, plus Basic Black ink for the greeting

Other: 1 3/8" Square Punch, wide Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Rhinestone Brad, 2 Way Glue Pen and Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals of course!

And now a version with some extra sparkle.

Gold embossing powder here for the snowflakes, plus some added dots of 2 way glue pen and green glitter.  

And one more - I love grey and blue Christmas cards ....

The snowflakes in the background of all the cards were done with Versamark.  The embossed ones here were done with a mix of 3/4 silver embossing powder with about 1/4 fine blue glitter.  I used the grey taffeta ribbon for this one.  It looks good with white taffeta too.  We've done this card at my 'Sparkly Christmas Class' this month and some of the girls chose white ribbon. 

Let's dim the lights a little so we can see that blue glitter a little better ...

What is that I hear?  'MUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.'    That would be my little lad awake from his nap now so I'd best be off!   I know I know - 3 1/2 and he still has a nice long nap in the middle of the day, think I'm a rather lucky mum!  Gives me a nice chance to recharge the patience.  Things were suspiciously quiet earlier today and when I went to investigate I found he'd been having a lovely time smearing a whole tube of kids toothpaste (the blue gel type) all over the bathroom sink!   'Look mum!' ☺

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue 
 

Today I thought I'd share a couple of Christmas cards I made on the weekend.  I wanted to make some using just a handful of materials and tools - cardstock, ink, stamps and one or two additional items. 

I loved these cards by Marelle Taylor, which inspired me to get out 'Wish For Peace' stamp set.

I used Old Olive and Riding Hood Red cardstock and inks plus Naturals Ivory.  Here's my first super simple Christmas card.

Just pretend there isn't a bit of a crease there on the right of the card where I packed it into a box in a bit of a hurry!  :-)

 Other than my cardstock, stamps and inks, I also used my trusty StampAMaJig stamp positioner for this one to get the greeting straight.  Very handy!  I cut the bird out and coated it with Crystal Effects.  You can find this on pg 154 for $11.95 and it is a great way to just add that teeny touch of special to a card.  Leave time for drying.  I popped the bird up on Stampin' Dimensionals (another of my 'can't make a card without it' products!)  I like how the Crystal Effects picked up some of the colour on the wings and made it look like I'd spent time shading!

This next one uses the same stamp set, 2 inks and 3 cardstock colours.  This time I've added Stampin' Dimensionals again, plus a couple of rows of pierced holes.  This is a great addition to a card, and so easy with a paper piercer and mat pack.  (You'll find the mat pack on pg 155 - $18.95.)  The mat pack has a template with rows of holes in several spacings, plus a paper piercing pad (a bit like a teeny mouse pad) and setting mat (the part that stops your piercer jabbing holes in your table!)  

I stamped off the tree and bird images once onto scrap paper before stamping them onto the Naturals Ivory, so that my greeting wouldn't be lost.   StampAMaJig stamp positioner came in handy here once again.

Thought these might be handy ideas if you're just starting out and don't have many things in your craft stash yet, or if you want to have a card making session with just a handful of products.

This set includes the tree/church, bird and greeting and is $29.95.  (Pg 32.) It is one of my favourite stamp sets this year.  I'll be back tomorrow with some cards made with my VERY favourite Christmas stamp set and a card layout I've turned to time and time again this year, plus a dash of sparkle.

See you then,

Cheers, Sue
 

My sisters both had birthdays during November.  I thought today I'd show you the card I made for my sister (and close friend) Lisa.  Her favourite colour is purple and I wanted to use a hat pin.  (We have a bit of a running joke about hat pins.  We tend to hoard them and only use them on extra special cards for extra special people so being 'hat pin worthy' is our new term.  I really should just get them out more often - they're so beautiful.)

The base card is Perfect Plum with a panel of Pale Plum.  The butterfly panel is Naturals Ivory, with some spiral punching down the side.  I love the light fleck through that cardstock.  The background butterflies (from Great Friend) are stamped with Pale Plum.  The feature ones are stamped with Pale Plum then rocked onto the Perfect Plum ink pad.  I cut them out and coated them with Crystal Effects for some gloss.  Two half pearls from the Pretties Kit finished them off. 

Some Vanilla Taffeta ribbon and a hat pin threaded with pearls and beads for the final finishing touch.  I popped a couple of glue dots behind a few beads to attach the hat pin to the card.

I forgot to take my sponge daubers or sponge wedges along - I made this while I was at Milleara Market.  So I inked the edges of the base card using the ink pad.  It looked a bit blotchy so to camouflage I stamped the very tip of the branch from Great Friend around to make a border.  I really liked how that looked - funny how often 'mistakes' turn out to lead to a great addition to a card.

Here's the inside with some matching stamping.

Lisa is such a great sister that a card made using 'Great Friend' seems most apt.  We've gone through many jars of coffee having our chats and she is a great aunty - Hannah and Jack adore her.  Plus my lovely class girls would know that she lends a hand there too. 

Happy birthday Lisa.

Back another day to show you Melissa's card - I'm lucky to have 2 close sisters, plus a little brother too - OK he's 30 but I still think of him as my little brother. 

Plus I have a sparkly Christmas card we did at a workshop on Saturday (waving a warm hello to Helen and her guests, I had a lovely afternoon.)  Plus some more I made yesterday at Milleara.  So much to show you.   But Jack and I are off to Kinderplay now so that'll have to wait until another day.  :-)

Cheers, Sue
  

Every day should have a touch of sparkle.  My little munchkins are often the sparkle in my day.  Today we had some glitter to add an extra dose!

Stamp Sets:  Lovely As A Tree (I finally got this set after seeing so many lovely things created with it!) Snow Swirled, En Francais background stamp.

Colours: Handsome Hunter cardstock and marker, Close To Cocoa marker, Sahara Sand ink, Kraft and Vanilla cardstock

Other: Versamark, Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Heat Tool, Sponge Daubers
 

Hmmm lets turn that flash off for a bit more of the sparkle!

Have a spare seat tonight if you're feeling like a spur of the moment stamping and glittering class and want to make one of these, or several spare seats next Tuesday if you're more of a plan ahead girl!  Details here.  Edited to add: Ooh gotta be quick, last seat booked for tonight.

Hope your day has some sparkle today.

Happy Stamping!  Sue

Time for some cards I think, and November means we're all starting to think about Christmas.

Ever since I saw this card I've wanted to give it a go - such an original way of using Pocket Silhouettes.

Here's my version ....

They're glittery and sparkly in real life but you'll just have to imagine that. 

:-)  Hard to capture on camera.

I think red is my favourite ... What do you think??

Stamp Sets:  Pocket Silhouettes and the greeting from Christmas Classics.

Colours:  Real Red, Night of Navy and Sage Shadow inks and cardstock, plus Whisper White of course.

Other:  1 1/4" circle punch and 1 3/8" circle punch, plus my latest favourite adhesive - the 2-Way Glue Pen - and a sprinkle of Dazzling Diamonds fine glitter.

If you'd like to make some sparkly additions to your Christmas card collection, I have space left next Tuesday night for my Sparkly Christmas class (Avondale Heights, Melbourne.)  The other dates have booked out.  Give me a buzz or send an email if you'd like to grab a chair at the table on Tuesday.  Details here.  

Paperific ...

We had a fabulous time at the Stampin' Up! stand at Paperific over the weekend.  We met so many lovely papercrafters.  It is always nice to spend time with other people who 'get' how excited we all get about anything paper related.  A big warm hello to anyone who is visiting my blog for the first time after visiting the show.  Grab a cuppa, have a look around and let me know if I can help with any Stampin' Up! questions.

Here's the Sunday crew just before the doors opened ...

L-R:  Kate, Nikki, Kimmy and myself.

And here's part of our stand and our gorgeous prize baskets.  A big thanks to Ange for prettying them up so nicely. 

Congratulations to Agnes-May from Hawthorn and Linae from Kensington who were the two lucky winners.  They'll have a nice time playing with all those goodies.

If I can help you with ordering, workshop information, questions about products, or if you're interested in more info on the benefits of becoming a demonstrator, please get in touch.  I'd be happy to help.  If you'd like to get my newsletter in your inbox at the start of each month there is a sign up box at the top right there.  A great way to stay up to date with the latest Stampin' Up news.

Back with more Christmas sparkle another day. 

Happy Stamping!

Cheers, Sue
 
 

It is Paperific time ....

If you're in Melbourne and are in the mood for exploring a great craft show this weekend, come visit us at Paperific.   It is all about paper at Paperific, a paradise for those of us who enjoy our papercrafts!

And more good news .......  IT IS AIR CONDITIONED! 

Here's the details:

Where:  Melbourne Showgrounds, Ascot Vale

Dates/Times:  Friday 13th Nov,  9.30am - 5pm

Saturday 14th Nov, 9.30 - 5pm

Sunday 15th Nov, 9.30 - 4pm

Entry:  Adults $10, Seniors/students $8, Kids under 10 free

Parking:  Available at the Showgrounds for $5. Enter via Epsom Rd.

We have a great team of girls at the Stampin' Up! stand this year ready to show you a range of techniques and answer questions about all the gorgeous creations we have on display.  Pull up a chair and complete a make and take project. We have 2 fantastic prize baskets full of Stampin' Up! goodies - stamps, papers, inks, ribbon, embellishments - so make sure you fill out a slip to go in the prize draw.   We'll have some kits of bits and pieces available for sale on the day too - while stocks last.

I'll be there Saturday and Sunday so if you're visiting make sure you come by and  say hello.

Here's one of the projects you might get to try at the make and take table.

Hope to see you there!   Have a great weekend.

Cheers, Sue
 

Have you tried our Stampin' Write Markers?  You can do such a lot with them - I'll show some pics below.

If you'd like to build up a collection of 52 markers over the next 8 months - you might like to grab one of the remaining spots in my newest Marker Club. 

Each month for 8 months you'll receive 6 markers, plus a tutorial will arrive in your inbox to give you step by step instructions and photos for ways to use them.  There's a different technique each month.  

Each month you also get a little surprise gift from me in your package.  It might be something to help you try that month's technique (like some samples of vellum or watercolour paper) or something to use on your cards (like some lengths of ribbon or a sheet of Stampin' Dimensionals.)  A nice little bonus when you open your package.

Then for one month you are the Marker Club Hostess.  That month you select a Level 1 hostess set plus $70 of goodies of your choice from the current catalogues.  

In your hostess month you also get the handy carry case that stores your markers horizontally and keeps them all neatly organised, plus the set of 4 neutral markers.  

Here's what one of my previous hostesses got in their package.

The cost is $40 per month for 8 months.  I have a few spots left in my latest group. 

Get in touch if you'd like to grab one of the remaining places and start building your marker collection, or if you have any questions.  I'd be happy to help.

Phone: 03 9325 4913 or 0417 377 057 Email: [email protected]

OK so what can you do with your markers??

You can colour direct to rubber for a multicoloured image ...

You can watercolour ...

You can doodle lines for a casual handrawn style ...

You can colour in stamped images ...

You can colour ribbon ....

And lots more.  Of course, your markers match your Stampin' Up! papers and embellishments, so it  makes it easy to create a coordinated project.

Let me know if you'd like more information.

NOVEMBER CLASSES

Just a quick note to let you know 3 of the November dates have booked out but there's still space left on Tuesday November 24th if you'd like to come along to a 'Christmas Cards With Sparkle' class.

Details here. 
 

Cheers and have a great weekend,   Sue

The start of a new month means the year is just flying by.  It also means it is newsletter time!  Keep an eye on your inbox - if you're a part of my newsletter crew your November edition is coming your way this evening.

It is bigger than ever this month with lots of exciting things to share.  I've also included some step by step photos and instructions for watercolouring with markers.  Here's a sneak peek from part way through.

If you're feeling left out, head up to the top right column, pop your email address in the box there and click 'Go' and I'll get a copy to you soon.  

Happy Stamping!  Cheers, Sue