This patterned paper (In Good Taste DSP) is so gorgeous that you can make a lovely card just by popping it on a coordinating cardstock base and adding a greeting.  Or you can step it up a little with a few extra layers. 

In this video I run through some handy measurements I use all the time when I'm making cards featuring patterned paper.  (This is for cardmaking in Australia with A4 cardstock - you can adapt the idea for other countries with different dimension cardstock.)  

Adding just a narrow border and an extra layer on the greeting makes the paper really pop.  

Have a fab weekend and happy creating.  Chilly one coming up here in Melbourne so I'm parking myself in my craft room for a bit of inky fun.  Jack just got a new Nintendo Switch game so he's busy with that and Hannah is knee deep in studying (with a bit of Netflix thrown in I think!)  John's spending a bit of time on the indoor bike.  We are all happy to see those Vic numbers coming down and are looking forward to seeing family and friends (and my hairdresser!) again soon.  Not long to go now.  

Take care, Sue

Looking for some ideas for cards for the guys in your life.  Here's a quick and easy one using this beautiful woodgrain paper. 

To make this one at home just cut your patterned paper to 10cm x 14.3cm and pop it on to an Early Espresso card base. 

If you'd like to step it up just a little you could add some linen thead.

The simple greeting I've used here is from Happiest Of Birthday stamp set. It fits nicely in one of the stitched rectangles - or would be simple to cut with scissors or your trimmer. 

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue

If you'd like to shop for the supplies to make this card at home you'll find them here:  Supplies For This Card

This is a great card design for mix and matching some of your patterned paper and for using up some of the small scraps.  I've used the Essential Tag Punch - one of our newest punches that is terrific for cards.  Just grab out a pack of DSP - I've used In Good Taste patterned paper here - and some coordinating cardstock and you're all set.  For this card I've scored some score lines in the Petal Pink layer for added texture. 

Here's another variation. The greeting is from Itty Bitty Greetings stamp set.  

I'm looking forward to trying this card layout with some other styles of pattered paper.  I'll pop back to share when I do.

If you love a video step by step I've got one here for you for making this card. 

Happy creating.  

Take care, Sue

Product List: Grab what you need to make these cards at home

Essential Tag Punch [153607] $31.00	In Good Taste Designer Series Paper [152494] $37.00	Classic Label Punch [141491] $31.00	Itty Bitty Greetings Cling-Mount Stamp Set [151331] $63.00
Gray Granite A4 Cardstock [147008] $15.25	Petal Pink A4 Cardstock [147009] $15.25	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock [140490] $14.25	Basic Gray A4 Card Stock [121689] $15.25

Are you new to all this and keen to get started on some cardmaking?  If you're looking for a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator in Australia I'd be happy to help. 

Each month the Art With Heart team that I belong to has a creative showcase with a different theme. 

This month it is masculine cards and the team have gotten together to share lots of ideas for cards for the guys in our lives. 

I always seem to run out of those so some extra inspiration will be handy.  Are you looking for some masculine card ideas?  You've come to the right spot.  

I've got the link to the showcase host at the bottom of this post - head on over there to see lots more masculine card ideas from the crew. 

Mine is a quick and simple card and it is easy to whip up a batch of these while you have your supplies out.  Just grab a pack of patterned paper that has designs that work well for masculine cards.  I've chosen In Good Taste - such great textural looking designs.  Select a few coordinating cardstock colours and the Rectangular Postage Stamp Punch plus your favourite adhesives and that's about all you need to make these at home. 

Tips for this card: I've cut a layer 13.8cm x 9.5cm.  To add a little extra oomph to this you can pop it through with an embossing folder (see card below.)  Or if you don't have an embossing machine - use the scoring blade on your trimmer and add some scored lines such as I've done in the card above.  You can trim this layer with another colour just a smidge bigger if you like.  I like to punch a stack of the postage stamp rectangles then choose 4 to mix and match.  This bit always seems to take the longest - so many great patterns to choose from.  I start with the outside two and leave about half hanging off the edge.  Then add the inner two and you can even up the spacing.  Trim off the overhanging parts then add to your base card.  A quick greeting with the Classic Label punch to finish off and you're all set. 

The links to the rest of the team's cards can be found over here on Rachel's blog - Rachel is our lovely showcase host each month. Click on that link to have a browse through some other fab projects if you need some ideas for masculine cards.  Our showcase team would love it if you could say hello in the comments.  

Happy creating and stay well.

Cheers, Sue

We had a lovely weekend celebrating the dads in our family.  Here's the card I made for my dad.  I love the Wood Textures DSP.  It comes in a handy 6" x 6" size with lots of different wood grains in various shades and textures.  I've cut the letters out using the Large Letters Framelits - quite an investment but such a handy size.  The background is stamped with Gallery Grunge - another nice set for all those texture stamps. 

We had a zip up the freeway to visit mum and dad for afternoon tea with some yummy brownies.

The kids made John cards/messages to go with their gift.  Hannah opted for some computer creating ....

... and Jack got the pen out for some drawing.  He likes to raid my washi tape stash for some quick and easy decorating.

It was nice to take some time to be grateful for the awesome dads in our family.  We are very lucky.

Thinking of all those missing their dads over the weekend.  x

Take care,

Sue

A few of the products featured in this card ......

Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $19.25

Large Letters Framelits Dies [141712] $172.00

Gallery Grunge Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146538] $35.00

Glue Dots [103683] $8.00

We've had a few birthdays in our place in the last couple of months so there's been a bit of card making happening.  My dad had a milestone birthday.  Hannah and I made him this malteser cake (with some extra jaffas for a pop of red.)   Here's the card I made ....

The robot stamp is retired now.  I love the word bubble framelits - definitely a handy set to have in the framelit collection. 

Hannah (12) made use of the Little Letters Framelits to make this card. 

Jack (8) elected for just a pen and a piece of paper.   Love his sense of humour. 

Before his birthday I got in touch with a swag of relatives and got them to send a birthday message or funny memory.  MDS made it easy to put the scanned or typed messages, stories and photos together into a photobook. 

Here's a look at the front cover.  I used Well Word DSP throughout - the digital DSP packs make it easy to produce a coordinated look. 

And the title page (with faces masked for privacy.) 

It is a bit of a personal gift so can't share too much more but it came up so well.  I think the nicest part of putting together photobooks is watching people read them.  Great way to capture lots of people's thoughts and a ton of funny anecdotes.   I kept it super simple - just picked a background paper, inserted the scanned letter or typed in a text box.  Added a matting layer and drop shadow.  Photos done with the same process on the facing page. 

I'll be back next time with Hannah's birthday bits and pieces. 

Cheers, Sue

Here's a look at some of the products featured.  Click on supply list for a printable version. 

My class ladies and I often comment that we have lots of feminine cards but not many masculine ones in our stash of cards.  So by request I made sure to include a masculine themed card in my May classes.  We used the inked embossing folder for the background. Here's one variation.

We used Early Espresso ink on the Alphabet Press embossing folder.  The cardstock was Soft Suede.  Soho Subway DSP is a great pack for masculine cards - so many great designs.  We used the versatile Tag Topper punch too.

I've made 5 more cards using the leftover bits and pieces from May classes so keep an eye out for those over the coming weeks.

I mentioned last blog post that I was working on my newsletter.  It is a little delayed as my newsletter program wasn't letting me add any new photos over the weekend.  Can't have a newsletter without pretty pics!  June class dates are up on my class page here if you're looking to book into a card class.

I'm off to the annual Stampin' Up convention tomorrow through til Saturday.  You can reach my via text or email if you're placing orders or have a Stampin' Up question.  I think I'm most excited about having 4 days without saying 'Hurry up.'  That's a bit sad isn't it - ha ha.  Just myself to organise - bliss! 

I'll keep you posted on any exciting new snippets from convention.  Now I'd best get onto packing or I'll be wearing the same thing for 4 days. 

Cheers, Sue

A quick and simple card today using the Perfect Pennants stamp set and some circle punches. 

I do love embossing folders.  This card features the new one - Ampersand.  Find it here.

The greeting is from Perfect Pennants stamp set.   Some handy greetings in that one for both card making and scrapbooking I think.   Find it here. 

I had some leftover bits of cardstock stamped with the Woodgrain background stamp so added those to the card to finish it off.  Always handy to make use of those scraps isn't it. 

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue

Popping into blogland quickly tonight to share a couple of MDS project I've been working on while watching the footy on TV tonight.  My nephews are having a joint birthday party tomorrow and I've been using MDS to make their cards.  I'm going to print these card fronts and attach them to cardstock cards. 

James' card:  I've used On The Go Designer Series Paper, Timeless Type Alphabet Punches (filled with DSP) and some digital stitching and transparent tape plus a few other bits and bobs.  (Find all these in the MDS program.)

William's card:  I've used MDS: Delight In The Day DSP, Epic Overlays for the letters - coloured with the colouring tool, and some embellishments from the On The Go kit.

I hope your weekend is going well.  We've been enjoying some nice relax time today, as well as running a few errands (nephew birthday present shopping!) 

2013 Stampin' Up Convention: Brisbane

I'm off to Brisbane on Wednesday for the 2013 Stampin' Up Convention.  Can't wait - it should be heaps of fun.  John's having a much needed few days off work and manning the fort at home.  If my hotel wi fi cooperates I'll be posting convention updates for all those who love a bit of Stampin' Up news.  I'll have updates on my facebook page too.  Head over and like the page if you'd like some convention snippets.  Facebook Page: Sue Madex

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue

Hello - time for our monthly blog hop and you'll love the theme this month.  It is masculine projects.  I always seem to have a ton of feminine cards on hand and hardly any blokey ones.  Grab a cuppa and head on round the 7 stops in the hop if you'd like a bit of inspiration for crafts for the guys in our lives.  Waving a hello if you've arrived from Ros Davidson's blog.  She always has such stunning projects to share.

I set myself a challenge yesterday when I was creating my cards and that was to use the scraps left over from my Christmas In July classes, and a couple of the techniques as well.  Here's what I came up with ....

Some leftover strips of the Christmas themed paper - Letters To Santa.  Old Olive and Early Espresso cardstock.  A touch of tearing and crimping and some ribbons.  Blokey ribbons - hmmm not sure there.  What do you think?  I've been tying little bundles of ribbons on everything since I got back from Convention.  Who was it who showed that little tip?  I'll update to link - my memory is fuzzy tonight. 

I had some more leftover strips so thought I'd make another card.  For this one I scrunched and grunged up my strips with a sanding block, and sanded the scored lines on the base card too.  I had some leftover punched circles of silver glimmer paper.   They looked a bit bright for my card so I painted them with Soft Suede reinker. 

The greeting is from Happiest Birthday Wishes - I punched out the ring with a couple of circle punches.  (Tip: Small one first then the bigger one.) 

Hmm - what is that smudge on the left of the card?  I'm sure it is not ink because I was too impatient to wait for the reinker to dry.  Nope - must be a smudge on your screen.  :-)

Time to head on now to the next stop on the hop and you can find that here:  my lovely, caring friend Christine Blain.  I know she'll have something just gorgeous to show you so I'll wave a bye for now. 

UPDATED:  Here's a list of all the hop stops if you're visiting a little later.  Christine, Kathryn, Nikki, Di, Tina, and Ros.  Watch out - you'll be rather tempted to order Extreme Element after a lap of this hop.  I was!

Happy hopping and I hope you get some ideas (and some time) to add to your 'cards for the boys' stash in the coming weeks.

Cheers,  Sue