My next product club is just about to start.
It runs from April to September and will include the brand new catalogue in July.
Spend $50 a month on fabulous craft products for the 6 months of the club and one of the months you'll get to choose at least $50 of free products.
Register now - only 2 spots left. It is a great way to spread out your purchases and earn some free products along the way. Phone or email if you're keen.
Cheers, Sue
I'm thoroughly loving working on 'Our 2014 Life' album - capturing little snippets of everyday life in a simple way. Easy to do, quick to add a photo and a story - and that means I'm getting it done.
Here's a page about some online shopping the kids did this month. Jack saved for a Pig Rock Raceway and Hannah was hunting for a rainbow/fun loom and both were out of stock everywhere we looked. Online shopping to the rescue.
We found our rainbow loom at this website in case you're hunting too. If you like the convenience of online shopping you can find my online store up the top left here on my blog.
As I've been working on it, I've been gaining confidence in adapting the template to suit my pics and pages. Here's a couple I've customised as I wanted to include some larger photos. John surprised Jack and knocked off early to come and see basketball training - love this pic of the two of them. The kids and I have been getting back into sharing a book together - something we've not done so much of since they've both become avid independent readers. We really enjoyed The Miraculous Journey Of Edward Tulane. Nice to share a great story, and even nicer to spend some quiet time together.
Simple everyday moments, captured quickly and easily with my digital photobook project. Get in touch if you'd like to know more about MDS: My Digital Studio. I'll have another video soon for how to adjust the photo templates - just waiting for a quiet day with no teaching or card class and it'll be on the list!
Have a fabulous week.
Cheers, Sue
Hello and happy weekend! I always look forward to Saturday mornings, and especially when they involve a leisurely bit of scrapbooking in bed with my laptop. Even better when someone brings me toast and coffee - aahh, counting my blessings this morning. In between bites of toast I've been getting my 2014 MDS album up to date with some late Feb and March pages. Here's a peek. (With a few blanked out bits for privacy.)
Birthday parties and a day at a local festival with the kids and my brother and sister.
March snippets and a bath and a weigh for the guinea pigs ......
And I love this double page with some photos from my mum and dad's garden. In my Sydney album I really liked the pages with a large circle photo. Looking through that reminded me to pop a few into my 2014 Family Album.
It's been a busy week so I just left it with photos and stories today and nothing much in the way of 'decorating'. I'm always drawn to simple pages which is handy as they're quite quick - which means I'm staying pretty much on top of this project.
I love that my Crashplan account means that these pages are automatically getting backed up online as soon as I finish them. If you're a digital scrapbooker - don't forget to back up your layout files as you go.
Have a wonderful weekend. I hope you get some time to recharge your batteries. I've noticed this year that how my Sunday goes has a big effect on the rest of my week. If I can spend a bit of time getting the place in order, making sure we're on top of homework or other things that are due that week, finding the floor in the laundry, getting any last preparations done for my classes (my school ones and my cardmaking ones), plus a little time to refresh the brain and relax - then our week goes much more smoothly.
Catch you again soon with some more creations.
Almost forgot - I've got space left on Thursday at craft class. We're making 2 cards and two snazzy tags this week if you'd like to catch a class.
Cheers, Sue
Yep we're still congratulating! It has been an exciting month on the team. Here's another variation on the cards I've shared over the last week.
This card features Smoky Slate and Pool Party embossing powders - yum! Don't you just love coloured embossing powders. I stamped the lanterns in cherry cobbler and sahara sand.
I like the narrow silver ribbon too for a touch of shine.
Occasions catalogue: Page 23
Here it is online: Silver 1/8" Ribbon $8.95 for 9 metres.
Reminder: Two more weeks left of Saleabration where you can choose a freebie for spending $90, 2 free items if you spend $180 and so on. Get in touch or click the shop online button top left if you'd like to grab yourself some free products.
One of my team mates and friends Nikki (find her blog here) was telling me that this year whenever she's making a card she's aiming to make an extra one or two the same to build up her collection. So handy to have some all set to go when you hit a busy patch on the calendar. I think I might do the same. That's it for variations on this design but I'll be back with something else soon. Having a creative patch lately and really enjoying my card making and scrapbooking time. Nice way to wind down after a busy week.
Happy creating!
Cheers, Sue
This year' I've been enjoying using our little notecards and envelopes packs - I love the small size.
For these ones I've been making use of some scraps left over from last month's class. Trying to do a little more recycling this year!
We cut out lots of banners in my February classes so I had a pile that looked a bit like this. Perfect time to get out my new banner punch. (Get this free during Saleabration with a $90 purchase. Ends 31 March.)
I've got a small fold up table that I sometimes set up in front of the TV of an evening. For these cards I grabbed some inks that coordinated with the Sweet Sorbet DSP (another free choice with a $90 purchase) and the gorgeous Hardwood stamp set.
Stamp straight on for a darker wood background like this ......
Or stamp off on scrap paper once then onto your card for a lighter background like the card at the top. It doesn't matter if you get a slightly uneven finish - sort of works well with this project I think.
I love my new Just Saying stamp set. Bundle it with the coordinating Word Bubbles framelits and save 15%.
If you've got some scrap patterned paper - grab a banner punch and make a pile of banners. Quick and easy then to pop some along a card. I used dimensionals to give them a little lift.
Products Featured: Including shopping links if you're shopping online or looking for more detail.
Another variation on the congratulations card I shared the other day. This one is on a crumb cake base. The lace ribbon is a nice one to add in with a little feature bundle of ribbons.
While we're talking about congratulating team members - If you're looking for a home based business, perhaps Stampin' Up is for you. I've loved combining it with being a stay at home mum, and now with being a part time primary school teacher. I find it very flexible and it has been truly rewarding - in helping to pay the bills and even providing a couple of holidays for John and I, in creative terms as I've built up my craft stash and techniques, but mostly in friendships as I've met some really lovely people through my 6 years as a demonstrator. Get in touch if you'd like some more info and perhaps we can be congratulating you in a year or two!
I loved getting reaquainted with my embossing products while I made these congrats cards. I haven't embossed in ages - I'm sure there were cobwebs on my gear! Such a lovely addition to a card though so well worth getting the heat gun out. Here's the rich, gorgeous Cherry Cobbler embossing powder.
Do you love embossing? I seem to manage to get it everywhere but I do love it.
Happy stamping!
Cheers, Sue
We've had lots of excitement lately in my Stampin' Up team with some girls who've worked to achieved big promotions. Perfect time to sit down and make some congratulations cards.
I loved the Happy Congratulations set in the Occasions catalogue so this was a nice opportunity to give it a run.
A few years ago at our Stampin' Up convention I learnt a trick from one of the demonstrator presenters (now who was that - I forget, if you know leave a comment and I'll link!) It was a nice way to use ribbon scraps as a feature on a card. Just lay some lengths together and tie them with a longer piece.
Storing and Using Scraps Tip: Ever since I've been saving my ribbon offcuts in a basket in a drawer and every now and then I grab a bundle that seem to work together and add them to a creation.
Products Featured:
Happy Congratulations Stamp Set
Occasions Catalogue: Page 37
Wood $28.95 Clear $22.95
A set of 4 stamps - very elegant.
Check it out more closely here.
Gold Sequin Trim
Occasions Catalogue: Page 23
$8.95
Feel like a bit of sparkle, perhaps a touch of disco?
Quite loving this sparkly sequin trim. Right here.
Other products: Cherry Cobbler base, Crumb Cake panel, Fresh Prints DSP stack for the patterned paper piece, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, Gold and Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powders, Heat Gun, Very Vanilla for the tag, and some ribbons.
Got anyone to congratulate this month? I made 3 cards using the same design but different colours so I've got a couple of other variations to share in the coming weeks - stay tuned.
And since I do really love a good inspirational quote, maybe I'll finish off with one I saved this week. Do you have any favourite quotes? I've always loved collecting ones that speak to me.
Have a great week and happy stamping!
Cheers, Sue
Are you a digital creator? Here's a peek at this week's new digital downloads. There are new downloads for My Digital Studio every week.
Some striped ribbon, bakers twine, stamps, papers and a new ensemble in this week's additions.
I like the look of this baby set. Just got the real stamp version and might add it to my digital collection too as I've got some baby layouts to do. (For Jack's album. He's seven now. Ha ha.)
A great set for colouring. The nice thing about colouring stamps digitally is that handy UNDO button! Couldn't we use one of those in non digital life!
Here's a short video showing how easy it is to colour stamps in MDS.
Easy peasy! Not a digital creator? Pop back tomorrow for a new bit of card making inspiration.
Happy creating.
Cheers, Sue
Another Hexagon Hive thinlit card today for you. This time I've used one of the designs from the Retro Fresh DSP (patterned paper) and topped it with a Whisper White layer.
Some pretty flowers and pearls to finish, popped up on some of our handy Stampin' Dimensionals.
Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper
Occasions Catalogue: Pg 19
$18.95
12 sheets - double sided. 12" x 12"
Find it here if you're shopping online.
There are some great coordinating products in this range.
Petite Petals Bundle
Occasions catalogue: Page 33
6 flower stamps and a punch
Save 15% when you purchase them together.
Wood bundle: $39.75 Clear bundle: $34.75
Here 'tis (if you can't resist it - wink. They're so cute.)
Label Something Stamp Set
Annual Catalogue
6 stamps that coordinate with punches for quick and easy greetings.
These ones are very popular with my class ladies.
Stamp set here along with the list of coordinating punches.
Hexagon Hive Thinlit Tips: To stick the hexagon layer to the card I like to use snail adhesive on the back of the larger hexagons then a dab of Tombow glue on some of the thinner bits.
I hope you get some creative time this week. Got any projects on the go? I've hunted out a bunch of photos of my siblings and I and am halfway through a little album using the Mini Memories Simply Created Album Kit. I've got 2 sisters and a brother and it has been fun looking through the photos from when we were kids. Looking forward to seeing how the album turns out.
Cheers, Sue
We gave the new Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die a test drive at card making class last month. Here's one variation. This was another card where the choice of DSP or cardstock colour gave lots of variations.
Some tips for using the Thinlit - Big Shots can vary in terms of the amount of pressure they apply so experiment with yours. I found with my hexagon hive thinlit I needed an extra layer of cardstock as a shim. I placed it underneath the plastic cutting plate. To help get the hexagon panel out of the thinlit we used a paper piercer and slid it into a gap after we'd poked out some hexagons and gently eased the rest of the panel out. Take your time and be careful near the edges. Adding a layer of baking paper between the thinlit and the cardstock can help too.
Other products featured:
Perfect Pennants Stamp Set
Occasions: Page 27
Wood $51.95 Clear $41.95
To add it to your cart: Find it here
10 stamps in this set and it coordinates with the Banner Framelits.
Scalloped Tag Topper Punch
Occasions: Page 35
$39.95
Shopping online: Find it here.
Make a tag of any length. Width 5cm.
I really love this one. For this card I trimmed a little of the edges off the white tag and added a crumb cake one underneath for a double layer.
Fresh Prints DSP Stack
Occasions: Page 33
$11.95
A pad of 48 double sided pages. 11.4 x 16.5cm
Colours: Crumb Cake, Coastal Cabana, Real Red and Whisper White
March Stampin Up Card Making Classes In Melbourne
Hoping to catch a fun and friendly class this month? We're filling up fast but there are a few seats left. This month we're doing Masculine and Feminine and have some great projects to make. Dates and details here - March Classes. Hope to see you there. We've had a few new faces at class in 2014 and look forward to a few more in March.
Have a fabulous weekend. A long one here in Victoria and in our place we're quite looking forward to some relaxing and chilling out. Perhaps a spot of creating too - that's always relaxing.
Get in touch if I can help with any stamping matters.
Cheers, Sue
