Hello, hello.  Greetings from the 2012 Stampin' Up Convention here in Canberra.  Just ducking in to let you know that if you'd like to share some of the buzz and excitement of convention - I'll be posting pics and snippets over the next 3 days on my new facebook page.  Head on over there if you'd like some convention news.  (There's a link in the left hand column - just over there. Pointing left.)

You'll find a pic of our lovely bag - I think this one is my favourite of all of them so far.  Plus some gorgeous gumboots that were a rather funky addition to one of the displays.  And a little pin I received that I'm rather chuffed about - thanks to my fabulous customers and team.

While I'm here - don't forget today is the very last day of the PAPER PAPER PROMOTION.  If you'd like to join as a demonstrator and get a free pack of DSP every month til the end of the year, head on over to my demonstrator website  and click the Join Now button.  Then follow the prompts. 

Choose any products you like up to $235 in value - YES ANY PRODUCTS AT ALL - to form your very own starter kit.  Cost is just $169.  Plus you'll get a business brick with catalogues and what not, PLUS your free pack of paper every month for the rest of the year.  Last day today!

OK - now I'd better go find my stamping buddies and get back into the fun!  Waving a bye for now. 

Cheers, Sue

It is all about paper paper paper this month with our May specials so what better theme for our blog hop than DSP.  Anyone out there like me - I love patterned paper but have rather a tendency of hoarding it.  This hop should provide loads of inspiration for getting it out of the stash and on to a project.  8 stops in today's hop.

Waving a hello if you've arrived from the gorgeous Alisha's blog and let's get rolling if you're kicking off from here.  

We've been making rosettes this month at my classes - this one features the lovely Twitterpated DSP.

Products for this one: Island Indigo base card then Shimmery White cardstock for a touch of sparkle. Blushing Bride and En Francais background stamp (LOVE this stamp.)  Blushing Bride pleated satin ribbon.  The swirl is from Elements Of Style stamped in Riding Hood Red.  Rosette features Twitterpated DSP, the Blossom Bouquet Punch and an Antique Brad to finish.

Once we'd finished class I had a bunch of strips of DSP left over and a stray rosette I'd been demonstrating with, so revisited a card I made last week  and put this quick one together.

DSP in this one is Twitterpated and also one piece from Sweet Shop that also had Island Indigo in it.  You just can't go wrong with colour coordinated products really.  Just mix and match.

SCORING:  I've always loved score lines on cards but always seemed to manage to get them crooked with my bone folder and a ruler.  I wasn't sure if I needed a Simply Scored as I don't make many boxes or 3D things, but boy is it getting a good work out!  Love it for scoring random lines - just great for when you need a little texture or that elusive 'hmmm needs something.'  

So that's it from me for this hop.  Waving a bye - have a super weekend.

Now it is time to head along to the next stop along the line - the talented Kathryn Manglesdorf to see which of our lovely DSPs she's creating with. Click here for Kathryn's Stampin' World.

Class ladies - if you liked our rosettes, keep an eye out along the hop and you might spot one of those lovely wreaths of rosettes that we were talking about.  You'll find gorgeous cards using a range of techniques plus you'll be inspired by a fabulous bunch of 3D projects - a train, a set of drawers, lots of wow.  Happy hopping!!

Have a great time!    Cheers, Sue

My nephews had a birthday party on the weekend so it was off to the card making table for me.  (Should I add that we left for the party at 11.30am and I started the cards at 11am = no, probably not!) 

Really liked how they turned out, even with a short timeline.

Pennant punch combined with the rather cute Sweet Shop DSP ( pg 23 of the Autumn Mini).

Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo bases and letters.  With a touch of crimping for texture.

Bakers' Twine (pg 24 for some new colours) and the Timeless Type alphabet set.

Happy birthday boys! 

Cheers, Sue

Hello - a quick note to let you know June class dates have gone up on my class page.  In June we're dabbling in paper flowers.  Should be lots of fun.  9 spots full already so check your diary and get in touch if you'd like to join the fun.

Here's a peek at our May classes .......

We're in full swing for this month's rosette making and fancy fold card class.  Last week's ladies made some gorgeous creations.  You've got a choice of a range of papers and colours.

Wednesday is booked out but I've got space left this Thursday 7.30 - 9.30pm if you'd like to try some rosette making, and find out how to use the labels framelit to make a fancy fold card.  You can also do a little watercolouring if you're in the colouring mood, or my Thursday night ladies created a lovely alternative using embossing folders if you're not!  (Thanks ladies - loved what you came up with.)

Have a great week,  Sue

My lovely team member Lyn showed us how to make these pretty little flowers at our last team gathering.  I'm a bit of a 3D beginner but thought I'd give them a whirl and really liked them.  (Thanks Lyn.)

They're made from Twitterpated DSP (buy 3 DSP, get one pack free this month) and I've punched circles from the coordinating colours - Blushing Bride, Island Indigo, Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red.  The leaves are a sizzlit die.  Some teeny pearls tucked in to the centre of each flower to finish.

Have to share a story that made me smile this morning.  The tooth fairy was a day late at our place (forgetful thing that she is!)  Seems that she had a flash of inspiration though and sprinkled something extra last night along with leaving a coin. 

Hannah excitedly told me this morning that it was fairy dust - it did bear a striking resemblance to Dazzling Diamonds. 

She also added that when she woke up and saw it she thought maybe the tooth fairy had heard her wish, so she sprinkled a bit on herself and said, "I wish to be a fairy."  Didn't work apparently. 

But what a sweet story for the scrapbook. 

Have a sparkly day won't you.

Cheers, Sue

It is that time of year again - the annual Think Ink Team Awards where my team celebrates another Stampin' Up year of fun and craft and creating.  Thought I'd share some pics.

I've been enjoying making these cards - saw this idea here  for the lovely background.  I've used Shimmery White cardstock and glued 2 strips punched with the lace ribbon border punch.  Creates a nice embossed look.  Some score lines with the Simply Scored.   Apothecary Art for the floral panel on watercolour paper. Regal Rose, So Saffron and Old Olive for my watercolouring.

Here's some of our 2012 Think Ink Team Awards prizes and certificates. 

(The role of Tina's die box is being played by Sue's die box for the pic - ha ha!)

Congratulations to Kylie, Tina and Rachel for their sales awards, and again to Kylie for her recruiting award, and to Judy - this year's Think Ink rising star award recipient.  Well done ladies!   And congrats to everyone in the crew for another fun year of getting inky.

I CASEd this Constantly Stamping card  to make this one using Bordering On Romance stamp set .....

That test tube used to hold jelly beans.  I washed and kept the tubes after we polished off the jelly beans as they looked so cute.  Actually I bought them especially to repurpose.  Have you ever bought something just for the cute container? 

Have a fabulous weekend. 

Cheers, Sue

Last year at our Melbourne training day, a fellow demonstrator Miriam showed us some gorgeous flowers  and I've been meaning to try them ever since.  Finally got to it last week.  Started off simple with this one ....

Twitterpated DSP, Riding Hood Red and Blushing Bride cardstock, some faux stitching with the mat pack, paper piercer and a marker, a neutrals button plus the scallop trim punch and a scallop circle for the flower.  I broke open my distressing kit too and used one of the files for the shaping.  Just snip in every second scallop and shape a little for this one.  Good beginner flower for me since I'm a tad 3D challenged!

We had a bit of a Think Ink team gathering last Tuesday and one of my team showed me how to make some other beautiful flowers (thanks Lyn!) so I've been having a bit of a flower week.  Stay tuned for a few more 3D flower cards this week, and if you'd like to make some perhaps we'll put 3D flowers on the June class calendar - dates coming soon.  

If you like the look of that Twitterpated DSP - head over here  for the details on our May DSP specials.

I had a lovely Mothers' Day today with my two munchkins.  Wishing all the best to all the lovely mums, aunties, and grandmas out there.

Have a great week everyone!   

Cheers, Sue

I never seem to have enough guy cards in my little box of cards, so this week I decided to grab out a pack of Well Worn DSP and some Crumb Cake (Kraft) cardstock and get creating.

I trimmed all my cardstock strips to the same width and spaced them randomly so I didn't have to do any maths - ha ha.

Simply Scored for the score lines, some linen thread and an antique brad, and a greeting.  (From one of the big birthday sets.)  Even dug up my stampamajig this time rather than winging it on the greeting.

One more pic since I rather like this one.  My sort of style - simple.

Have a fabulous weekend.  I had a creative burst last week so a few more things to share with you in the coming week. 

Happy stamping!    Cheers, Sue

Need more card inspiration for making cards for the guys in your life?

I've got lots more ideas for making masculine cards featuring patterned paper over on my youtube channel. 

Here are just a few.  

I came across this card from Clean and Simple Stamping and just had to give it a go.

I chose Paisley Petals DSP and coordinating colours Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze and Always Artichoke.  The matching punches - Blossom and 3/4"  Circle punches - make it easy to put together. 

Greeting is from Perfect Punches (pg 95) and pearls for the finishing touch.

Join this month for $169 - choose any products you like up to $235 for your kit - and get a free pack of DSP each month for the rest of the year.   Or buy 3 packs of DSP and get a 4th free.  Details here if you're tempted on either of these May offers.

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue 

Hello hello - May is here and we're celebrating paper paper paper. Free DSP on offer for customers and free DSP if you join in May.  (Details here.) 

To kick off paper month in style, how about a blog hop.  I'm part of the Art With Heart team and there are lots of talented scrapbookers in the crew led by Claire Daly.  Our blog hop today has 11 stops so you'll have lots of inspiration along the way for ways to use your Stampin' Up DSP in your scrapbooking.   Waving a hi if you've arrived from Alisha's blog and let's get moving if you're kicking off from here.

Now I'm a very simple scrapbooker - a photo, some paper, a story.  For this layout I've just gone with a word actually that I hear when I see this photo of Hannah.

A sparkle in the eye, sparkly dress and shoes, a sparkly smile.  I look at this photo and see a bright, happy girl, and must be a mum thing but I almost get a lump in the throat seeing how fast she is growing up.  I want to hang on to my little girl, but am excited to watch her mature too. 

The DSP is the gorgeous Paisley Petals.  It has some bold eyecatching designs but I've used the more muted tones on the reverse for my page.  (The beauty of double sided paper.) 

I've matted with coordinating colours - Always Artichoke and Not Quite Navy, plus Early Espresso for the photo. 

My base is a scrapbooking favourite - Crumb Cake.

My letters (Simple Letters Alphabet die pg 159) were cut from the silver glimmer paper. 

They got a bit lost on the page ......

.... so I grabbed out an aquapainter and my Not Quite Navy reinker and painted on a few layers of colour to coordinate with my papers. 

Aaaaah, that's better.

Some of our delicate little pearls and Baroque Motifs to snazz up the base layer a little.

Ready to pop in the album.   Now I don't know about you but I'm very excited about this blog hop and can't wait to zip round the sites and get some scrapbooking ideas.  I've got a nice stash of my favourite DSPs and I just know the girls will get me all inspired to get it out and get creating.

Next stop in the hop is the very talented scrapbooker Kathryn Ruddick  using one of my favourite packs of paper.  Have fun!

And get in touch if you'd like to take advantage of our May paper specials.

Cheers, Sue

Just in case you're visiting another day - here's the direct link to each of the hop posts:

Kathryn, Deb, Claire,  Tina, Nikki, Ros, Amanda, Kathryn M, Di, and Alisha