Goodness where did March disappear to!?  It is the last day today which means the last chance to grab a free SaleABration stamp set (with $100 purchase) and the last day to grab any favourites from the Summer Mini catalogue.  Phone or email  if there's any last minute items you'd like to add to your stash.

Here's a card from our March classes.  This one uses the Emboss Resist technique and people had a choice of Marina Mist or Cherry Cobbler (two of my favourite colours.)

I've really enjoyed making cards with the Bliss SaleABration set - it is rather versatile I think.  For this card the swirl is embossed in white and the colour is sponged on.  The cardstock is glossy white.  We got lots of different looks with this card depending on the depth of sponging - some people opted for a light coverage and soft look, and others kept sponging to achieve a deep colour.   The butterfly is embossed in white on our lovely vellum cardstock and cut out. 

Autumn Mini Catalogue Launch Update

Wednesday has been popular so the 6th April launch is now full.  There are spaces left on Thursday 7th at 7.30pm  if you'd like to come along, see lots of products and samples from the new mini and try out some of them on a couple of make and take projects.  Entry is $10 and this includes a 4" x 6" sample of ALL the gorgeous new patterned papers in the catalogue.   I'll also have a collection of retired stock on sale on the night.   More details here:  Launch Details

Almost the weekend!  Happy Thursday everyone.

Cheers, Sue

Hope you had a lovely weekend.  I'm back again to show you the paper strip quilting card we did in class this month.  (Technique inspired by this card.)

First we tried out the technique by making a small panel for our technique books. (Each month at class we have 2 techniques to add to our books, building up a nice resource over time.)

Then we made a larger panel to place on our card. 

Colours:  Concord Crush, Pretty In Pink

Other: Lap Of Luxury Designer Series Patterned Paper, Well Scripted stamp set, Beautiful Wings Embosslit and Rhinestones.  And of course a paper trimmer to cut all those strips and Anywhere Glue Stick to paste them down! 

I've got a few strips leftover.  I think I'll take them along to calisthenics this week and make up some more panels while Hannah does her class.

Have a super week!

Cheers, Sue

Here's one of the cards we made this month at my Paper Strip Card Class.  My hubby commented that we were rather quiet this month here and there - he thought we'd all disappeared.  Must have been all that concentrating to arrange (and rearrange and rearrange) and glue down strips!

Making cards like this that use coordinating strips of patterned paper is super easy with Stampin' Up packs of Designer Series Paper.  (You can find them on pages 124 - 127 of our main catalogue, plus a few more in our Summer Mini.  View online catalogues here.)

I love the Riding Hood Red, Basic Black and Very Vanilla designs in this pack.

For the greeting we had a bunch of different greeting sets to choose from, and several punches.  I've selected one from 'On Your Birthday' (pg 102) and the Designer Label Punch.  A little bit of that very versatile swirl from Bliss stamp set to add a finishing touch. 

Speaking of finishing touches.  Got some little scraps of ribbon left after trimming a bow perhaps??   Tuck them under the edge of your feature panel like this ....

I was going to use a longer piece of ribbon across the card, but it seemed a shame to cover up the strips after all that gluing!  I've been getting lots of use lately from my Anywhere Glue Sticks.  They were very handy at our paper strip class.   Good value - you get 2 for $7.50.  Find them on page 144 if you're after some glue sticks for your papercrafts.

Back very soon and I'll show you what we made for our Paper Strip Quilting card.  Here's another peek.

Have a great weekend.  If you are looking for some wonderful Stampin' Up inspiration over the weekend some of my friends are having a blog hop.   If you pop by Ros Davidson's blog  tomorrow morning you'll be able to jump aboard the hop.  I know I'll be grabbing a cuppa and checking out the gorgeous creations - my talented friends always puts me in a crafty mood.   Hmmm perhaps I should be checking out a 'tidy house' blog and it might put me in a vacuuming mood!   Hee hee. 

Cheers, Sue

We've been using strips of the stunning Designer Series Patterned Paper 'Love Letter' this month at my Paper Strip Quilting class.  I had some leftover strips and used a few to very very quickly whip up this little gift card.    I think it took no more than about 5 minutes.  (Hmmm I could possibly have taken 5 1/2 and trimmed the top of that panel a little better, hee hee.)

The Recipe:

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red and Basic Black

Other: Basic Black striped grosgrain ribbon, one of the yummy Antique Brads that I keep using up and having to reorder, and 2 leftover scraps of Love Letter DSP.  Oh and my mat pack and paper piercer to make the hole for the brad.  (Which means you don't crease the cardstock.  I poke a couple of holes as the brads have quite wide shanks.)

Our wide striped ribbons look so lovely scooped in with a brad or tied with some linen thread or hemp twine. 

I have rather a large collection of scraps so really should make more cards that make use of them!   What about you??

Back on Friday with a paper strip quilting card from this month's class.

Cheers, Sue

Quick class update:  There are 2 spots left for Wednesday night's class and 2 spots have just become available for Thursday night's class.   Phone or email if you're interested.  Details here. 

Here's a little sneak peek at one of our techniques!  Doesn't look much from the back but wait til we flip it over! 

See you tomorrow with a card pic.

Cheers, Sue

Hello, cough cough splutter splutter - hmmm rather a bit of dust here in my patch of blogland!  It has been a little quiet on my craft table lately but I got busy on the weekend and have a few projects to share in this last part of March. 

Those of you who receive my newsletter would have seen my step by step Bliss Faux Silk card in the last edition.  My stamping friend Christine reminded me of an alternative way of doing the faux silk technique and I thought I'd give it a go.  Here's my newsletter card on the left, and the softer version on the right.

For the one on the left I stamped directly onto some tissue paper then crinkled it up, smoothed it back out and glued it onto a piece of white cardstock.  For the one on the right I stamped onto the piece of white cardstock, then crinkled and smoothed a plain piece of tissue paper and glued it over the top.  The crinkly tissue paper gives your project a nice crushed silk type of texture.  I quite like the softness of the second method.

The greeting is done with the gorgeous swirly script stamp set "Well Scripted."  I hummed and haaaed over this set as I really only wanted a couple of the greetings.  In the end I decided I loved them so much I'd get the set and I'm glad I did - it is so elegant.   Don't forget to check through your Summer Mini catalogue.  It comes to an end on March 31st.   Some items may appear in our new big catalogue in September - but we can never predict which ones so best to grab any 'must haves' before March 31.  Get in touch if I can help.

I've added a little bit of the swirl from the SaleABration set Bliss to the greeting and sponged the edges.  My oval punch (remember stamp first, then punch) worked well with this greeting.  And of course some of our little pearls to finish - I love these teeny ones.

I loved how my friend Sue put pearls along the scallop trim border in this card so decided to go to town with my sheet of pearls and add them to mine too. 

The Recipe:

Stamp Sets:  Bliss and Well Scripted

Colours: Rich Razzleberry, Sahara Sand, Regal Rose, Blushing Bride and Whisper White

Other: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Pearls, one of the oval punches, white tissue paper (raid the gift wrap box) and an Anywhere Glue Stick.

Now while Jack is at kinder I'll get busy on the computer and get a few more project photos unloaded to share with you.   See you in a couple of days!

Cheers, Sue

 PS.  I've got a couple of spaces left on Wednesday evening for our Paper Strip Quilting and Emboss Resist class.   Rather lovely cards this month (if I do say so myself, as my grandfather would often say!) so book a spot if you'd like a relaxed evening of card making.  Details here.

Just a quick hello today to let you know that in March we'll be doing paper strip quilting at technique class. 

Here's an example from a couple of years back.  We'll be using some of our gorgeous patterned papers.

Dates: Wed 16th, Thurs 17th, Wed 23rd and Thurs 24th are the 4 dates to choose from, and 7.30pm is the start time.  Class fee: $20 includes tech sample, 3 cards and matching envelopes.  Venue: My place in Avondale Heights, Vic.   Check my class page for available places and booking info.

Autumn Mini Launch and Retired Stock Sale

Book a spot for Wednesday 6th April or Thursday 7th April, 7.30pm for my Autumn Mini Launch.   Find all the details on my class page.

SaleABration and Summer Mini Catalogue

SaleABration and our current Summer Mini Catalogue both come to an end on March 31st.  Get in touch if something has caught your eye.  Phone: 0417 377 057 or email: [email protected]

Have a great weekend,

Cheers, Sue

A card for a friend who had a baby girl recently.   She looks such a sweet little baby - it is hard to remember when Hannah and Jack were that small.  Doesn't the time zip by quickly.

I've used my big heart punch, some embossing folders and the lovely heart stamp from Punch Potpourri (a hostess stamp set.)   This card was inspired by this one  that I loved by Tina Gillespie.

The SaleABration stamp set Bliss was handy to add a little something to a gift bag. 

Babies, babies - I could almost get clucky.  Almost!   Think I'll settle for a little cuddle. 

Cheers,  Sue