A surprise newsflash for you today from Stampin' Up! Australia.

"The Last Chance List is quickly coming to an end.  Before we welcome many exciting new stamps and accessories, we need to make room in our warehouse by clearing out some high-inventory last-chance items.  For the first (and probably last) time ever, we’ve added a select number of additional discounted last-chance items for the final days of the promotion. Below are the items we have selected. 

The Last Chance promotion ends 31 August, 2010.

All items are only available while supplies last, and with these discounts, they won’t last long!

  *CO=Carryover Flyer  
  *AW=Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue

If something takes your fancy from this list you can place your order by phone or email.

Phone:  0417 377 057

Email: [email protected]

Postage/handling:  5% (with a minimum of $5.95)

Some pics....

Eyelet border punch

 Many Marvellous Markers

Bella Rose Designer Series Paper

Ducking in today to show you a quick and easy boy's birthday card.  This one is for Ben who we've known since mum's group days when he and Hannah were bubs.  We car pool together now for school. 

I love Lots Of Bots stamp set for those male cards.  Think I might use it for my brother too - he turns 31 today, and Jack turns 4 in "ONE MORE SLEEP MUM!" so busy week in the card making department!   Be back to show you those ones in a few days.

The robot comes up quite well embossed in white on black card.  The nuts and bolts stamp from this set make a nice background - in Versamark here on Basic Gray cardstock.  Some crimped silver and a touch of Real Red and DSP to finish off.

A quick stamp on the envelope to match makes a nice quick and easy finishing touch too.

Happy middle of the week to you!

Cheers, Sue
  

Hello hello.  It was my turn to set one of the challenges over at Helping Hudson this week.  A technique challenge and I thought it'd be good to get a technique choice from the daily question answerers (hmm that's not a word is it but you know what I mean!)   The 2 top picks from the 'What is your favourite technique?' question were sponging and embossing so that's what this challenge is.  Find the details here.

I was making a baby card on the weekend for my good friend and car pool buddy Jen who had a beautiful baby girl last week, so made sure to use some heat embossing, some dry embossing and lots of sponging.  I do so love Pink Pirouette.  Such a lovely soft pink for a new baby girl.

The Recipe:

I should mention first this is not a standard sized card.  The base is a piece of Pink Pirouette A4 folded in half. 

Stamp Set: Lovely Letters Alphabet, Baroque Motifs

Inks: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Versamark

Punches: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Large Heart Punch and Small Heart Punch

Other:  Embossing gear including white embossing powder, Polka Dot embossing folder plus a sneak peek at a gorgeous new embossing folder, Bella Rose DSP (the letters are embossed onto this too), retired wide Pink Pirouette ribbon, half pearls from the Pretties Kit.

(Didn't have an envelope so folded a full piece of DSP over and rounded the corners to make a sleeve, then popped it in to a gift bag with the gift.)

So grab out that embossing gear and some sponges or daubers and enter our challenge, or perhaps you'd like to try the Colour or Sketch challenge.  Find them all here.  It is the last week this week - great rizes on offer. 

Weekend Update:  Just a quick note for the locals.  Unexpected change to the plans for the weekend and I will not be at Milleara Market this Sunday.  Apologies!  Back again for the September date.

One more pic before I sign off.  Happy stamping!  Cheers, Sue

Cough cough splutter - yes just dusting off this blog.  Been busy busy having fun over at Helping Hudson. 

There's a fabulous free tutorial there for you to download as a little thank you for visiting.  You can find it here:  Free Technique Tutorial by Genna Gifford. 

Don't forget there's free daily giveaways too, each day until the 22nd August - just leave a comment on the daily question to be in the draw. 

Thought I'd share some cards with you today.  I had some team members to congratulate last month so needed some congrats cards.  Here's the trio I put together.

I've used Night of Navy, Kraft (soon to be Crumb Cake) and the bronze from the Metallics pack for these ones.  Plus a range of circle punches, my crimper and Polka Dot Embossing Folder for a touch of texture and the Lots of Tags sizzlit die for the tag.  The 'congrats' greeting is from Basic Phrases.

Here's a closer look ...

Love that bronze metallic with the Navy and Kraft. 

Hope your week is off to a great start.   

Happy Stamping!

Sue

Here's a smorgasbord of assorted news ....  Better start with a card.

Step by step instructions for this card are coming in my newsletter - just putting the finishing touches on so should be coming to your inboxes in the next day or so.  Sign up box top right if you'd like to join the fun.

August Classes - last spots

There's a few spots left this Wednesday 7.30pm or  Thursday 7.30pm if you'd like to catch a Top Note Christmas Card Class this month.  (Next week's date is booked out.)  Details here.

Last chance for an Avondale Heights class for a while.  September is launch month and October the diary is chockas so couldn't squeeze one in.  (CraftExpo and Hamilton Island trip - yippee!) 

Helping Hudson Giveaway Prize

Have you seen the daily giveaway question over at Helping Hudson today??  The lovely Kathryn Mangelsdorf has donated a free pass to the next round of UStamp as a prize so head on over and tell us your favourite stamping technique for the chance to win.  New question and new prize each day.

Helping Hudson New Challenges

Three fabulous new challenges have gone up on the Helping Hudson blog too.  Check this post - a little GPS navigator to help you locate the challenges.  :-)   FABULOUS prizes on offer. 

Last Chance List - update

Find the Last Chance List here.

Thought it was time for an update on items running low and those that have sold out.

Items out of stock:

Basic Black and Close To Cocoa A4

Sweet Slumber DSP

Items Running Low:

Pg 78, A Rose Is A Rose

Pg 86, Playful Petals

Pg 105, Totally Tabs

Pg 121, Short Order Alphabet

Basic Black, Whisper White, Old Olive 12" x 12" cardstock

Kraft, Sahara Sand and Basic Gray A4

Real Red Stampin' Around Cartridge

I Wish Simply Scrappin' Kit

Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

Stampin' Pastels

Pop Up Glue Dots

Rumpus Room News

And in news from our rumpus room (I did say it was a smorgasbord of bits and pieces didn't I - grin!) I thought I'd share a pic of what John and the kids have been up to while I've been working on the Helping Hudson project.

Hannah put in a request for a tree house. (Bit tricky when we don't have a tree!)  John thought it'd be fun to knock up a cubby with some wood and cardboard.  Here's what 'Project Cubby' has turned into ...

I think painting and decorating it is going to keep them amused for the next month!  

Have a fabulous week everyone.  Back soon with some cards to share.

Cheers, Sue 

First Saturday of the month means it is blog hop time for the Art With Heart team.  I know you will love our theme this month - The Men In Our Lives. 

Who struggles a bit with cards for the men and boys we love?  I can come up with ideas for feminine cards in a flash but those masculine ones stump me some days.  Hop around the 9 stops in this month's hop and you'll have 9 ideas to try next time you're doing a project for your male near and dear ones. 

Previous Blog Hop Stop:

You may have come from Alisha Watson's gorgeous creation, or perhaps you are starting your hop from here.  (In which case, go grab a cuppa and let's get hopping.)

Bright One For The Boys:

My project today is for the boys in our lives, or perhaps a bright funky guy! 

(Or perhaps one who is in need of something bright and cheerful ..... This should do the trick.)

This card combines the retiring (sob) Wild About You stamp set with our gorgeous Stampin' Write Markers and some square punches.

A nice rainbow of bright colours on the greeting (also from the Wild About You set.)  The Word Window punch makes this a quick and easy addition to the card.  Stamp first then punch. 

Can't find that ribbon in our catalogue!?  It is actually white taffeta ribbon coloured in rainbow fashion with our Stampin' Write markers.     Nifty hey!

The Recipe:

Colours and Cardstock: Real Red and Whisper White plus a selection from Bold Brights

Stamp Set: Wild About You

Punches: 1 1/4" Square Punch, 1 3/8" Square Punch, Word Window Punch, Horizontal Slot Punch

Other: White Taffeta Ribbon, Bold Brights Markers

Visit all 9 stops and leave a comment before Tues morning 6am for the chance to win a little prize.  Email Nikki at [email protected] to let her know and she'll put your name in the hat.

And now it is time to hop on over to the ...

Next Stop

... which is my stamping buddy -  the talented and lovelyKathryn Ruddick at her blog:  katlo designs.

 I know you'll enjoy her project.

Have fun on the rest of the hop and thanks for stopping by here.

PS  A little note for my customers and class gals.  My computer had a little 'moment' this week - you know those ones that make your heart skip a beat or two or seven.  Fortunately only a minor hiccup of the 'hmmm this would be a good time to back up my files' variety, but in the process of compacting my terribly cluttered inbox,  it managed to lose all my incoming emails from 1st June til 2nd August.   (Well perhaps it was me but I'd rather blame 'it' - hee hee.)  Which is rather irritating as my inbox does frequently double as my brain.  If I've not responded to something you've sent very recently (while I've been in a tutorial proofing timewarp)  this might be why.  If you're the lovely lady who had a question about marker clubs - please get in touch again and I'll be able to answer - apologies!

Have you visited our Helping Hudson blog yet?  Such a lot of excitement happening over there - grab a cuppa and head on over to join in the fun for such a wonderful cause. 

How fabulous is it that together as a crafting community, we can use our craft skills and passions and ideas to make a real and tangible difference to a little boy's life. I've floated my way through this week - it is so inspiring. 

Anyway - in case you've not visited yet, here's some things to look out for ......

WOW Tutorials

Our tutorial packages are all proof read, polished and making their way to purchasers (Yippee!) 

You can find details, sneak peeks and how to pay info here:   Exceptional Value Tutorials

I say exceptional because when I saw the finished product I almost fell off my chair.  They're just gorgeous.  We're running profiles of our generous contributors over the next couple of weeks on the Helping Hudson blog so keep an eye out for those and visit some lovely ladies.

DAILY Giveaways

Have you seen these yet?  EACH DAY between 1st and 21st August we have a giveaway question.  All you need to do is leave a comment with an answer and you are in the running for our daily prize draw.  So easy!  

FABULOUS Fun Challenges

Love a challenge?  We have 3 each week over these 3 weeks.   Check this post  to find this week's challenges - they close midnight tomorrow so be quick!   Gorgeous Stampin' Up product prizes on offer.  If you miss these first 3, we'll have 3 more for you on Sunday evening.  Read the details about how to enter and how to be eligible for prizes right here:  Challenge Info

Lots of excitement. 

Have a fabulous weekend,

Cheers, Sue

Two very exciting things to tell you about today. 

One is the release of the list of all the items from our 2009/2010 Idea Book and Catalogue that are now only available while stocks last, and will not be in the soon to be released new catalogue.  

To make room for lots of new goodies in the new catalogue, there's lots of things getting cleared out.  Some items are being reconfigured such as the punches which are changing over to the new style so don't panic when you see lots of our favourite punches on the list!   

 Here it is:  Last Chance List

Some of the items are discounted. For example, Embrace Life is 25% off, Pink Flamingo DSP is 50% off

Phone: 0417 377 057 (or) Email: [email protected] if you spot any items you want to add to your craft collection.  I'd be happy to help you with your order.

And two is that August 1st has arrived which means it is time to officially launch Helping Hudson.  I'm so thrilled to share this news with you.

You can find the Helping Hudson blog here:   Helping Hudson - A Wheely Good Cause

The Helping Hudson team and our big family of supporters has been working on a fundraiser to raise money for a Kid Walk mobility aid for Hudson - the young son of Tina, one of our stamping buddies (and fellow Helping Hudson crew member.)

As I said in my newsletter today, I'm amazed at what a group of women can achieve when we set our minds to it and work together with a common purpose.   Wait til you see what we've put together. 

Demonstrators from all over Australia, and from further afield as well, have generously volunteered their time and ideas and contributed over 70 tutorials.   A team of us (led by the very very hard working and inspiring Genna Gifford) have been tapping away at our computers until the wee hours getting them all formatted into a gorgeous template and polishing everything up into Tutorial Packages, proof reading, getting challenges ready, parcelling up prizes and putting together a blog to share it all with you.  

(Actually we're still tapping away madly but are on the home straight now and the tutorials will be ready to send out to purchasers in the next few days!) 

We have 6 fabulous packages of tutorials, plus a bonus bundle if you order 4 or more packages. 

Each package has 10 tutorials and costs just $10 - that is just $1 per tutorial.  I've seen the projects and this is EXCEPTIONAL value. 

Here's a sneak peek ....

Look good don't they!  We're so grateful to all the people who've donated their time and ideas, or helped out in other ways.  Much appreciated.

Here's a peek at the Bonus Bundle you get if you order 4 or more packages!

We're all very excited to be here at launch day and hope you enjoy stopping by the site to see more details about all that is on offer.

Helping Hudson blog

If you are a fellow blogger and would like to help us get the word out about this project, you can find images, blinkies and what not on this page:  Spread The Word.   We appreciate your help to get in touch with craft lovers from everywhere.

The person in all of our minds all along the way is of course this little guy - Hudson.   Looking forward to seeing pics of his first steps with a KidWalk mobility aid. 

Cheers all,   Sue