Just a quick little heads up to let you know there's a 24 hour Stampin' Up! sale on Tues 24th Nov.   A HUGE big list of things from the Annual Catalogue (most of it) will be 10% off for the day.

Pop back on Tuesday to have a browse.

Have a great weekend.

Cheers, Sue

Edited to add:  2 spots available for Thursday night.  Several for Friday 10.30am and 2 spots free on Saturday afternoon 2 - 4.  Grab your place with phone/text or email. 

Not long now til Catalogue Launch time!  This Thursday, Friday and Saturday I'll be joined here at my place in Avondale Heights by a bunch of fellow craft lovers to check out lots of new things from the new Stampin' Up catalogue.  Preparations are well underway.

Show bag assembly is in full swing (with a bit of help from my trusty assistants - my sister and Hannah.) 

I had the bright idea to decorate them with a cut out dragonfly so have been giving the paper snips a workout cutting 45 of the little buggers cute things. 

Loads of fun turning this ........

...... into lots of projects to share and to make.  Guests will get to make several cards to take home plus an in colour sampler bookmark.  Should be lots of fun.   For those of you further afield, I'll have lots to share here on my blog and in my newsletter after launch week.  Can't wait to show you some beautiful creations.

I'm really loving the new in colours.  This cotton paper is gorgeous too.  Look how easy it is to whip up some 3d flowers.  Just punch (or framelit cut) a bunch of flowers.  (I used 4 for these ones.)  Layer, staple in the centre, then scrunch each layer.  Too easy. 

Busy putting together a few of the great kit projects we've got in this year's catalogue too. 

Cake kit all set to go. 

Kit unpacked and video set to go on the ipad.  Here's the link if you'd like a look.  I find the video instructions easier than reading the printed ones. 

(Jack has been busy doing jigsaws while I do craft and Hannah does homework.) 

The cake is rather cute.  The back of the cake piece boxes open up for you to pop a little something inside.

Well, I'd best get stuck back into my creative weekend.  You should see my dining room.  Looks like a Stampin' Up tornado has hit - ha ha. 

Two spots have become available for Thursday evening 7.30 - 9.30pm.  Still a few spots left on Friday 19th June:  10.30 - 12.30  and 2 spots left on Saturday 20th June: 2pm - 4pm.    Phone/text/email to book a place. 

Have a great week. 

Cheers, Sue

We had a lovely launch week last week with 17 ladies here on Wednesday evening and another 15 here on Sunday afternoon to enjoy some new catalogue fun.  I've got some pics to share tonight, plus our big list of prize winners. 

Everyone got a goodie bag on entry with some new catalogue bits and pieces.  I love the new Polka Dot Tag A Bags (pg 201).  Names went into the cup ready for our door prizes.

My trusty assistant (Ms Hannah, 11) helped me add a little decorative touch to the bags.

I do like those doilies.  A pack of 24 is just $4.95 so I always have a couple of packs on hand. 

We started out in the lounge room with a look at some of our new products, then after drawing the first of our door prizes everyone made their way to a range of activities. 

There was a little bookmark making table.  Our bookmark shows off this year's new In Colours.  (Bookmarks inspired by these ones.)   We chose our favourite tag topper punch to shape the top, added some little punched features and some coordinating ribbon.  This year's In Colour ribbon is beautiful. 

On the dining table we had two projects.  We gave the Envelope Punch Board a test drive with some retired DSP and made an envelope. 

And we had a bit of a lucky dip using the Everyday Occasions Cardmaking Kit on page 196.  This kit has everything you need to make 20 cards (3 different sizes) so we made one each to give it a test run. 

Everything you need including a 7 piece stamp set and a couple of tiny ink pads.

Along the kitchen bench we had stations set up for another card.  For this one we used the little note cards and envelopes packs.  We used Whisper White. They're also now available in Crumb Cake.   Page 194.  You get 20 blank cards and envelopes for $9.95 so great value. 

I've managed to not take a pic of our finished card so I'll have to share that another day.  You can see the almost done one in this pic.  We used the Flower Patch stamp set - one of my new favourites.  We used post it notes to mask off an area for our greeting.

In between projects there were displays to browse.  I'll give you a closer look at those in the coming weeks.

A colour display .......  I do love our Stampin' Up colour families.  Which is your favourite?

Project Life table ......

Our door prize basket ......

Our door prize winners on Wednesday night were Kay, Helen, Gail S, and Tracey.  And our Sunday afternoon winners were Clare S, Lesley, Anne-Marie, Lina and Carolyn.  I hope you all enjoyed your choice from the basket. 

(This card CASEd from this one by Dawn and features our fabulous fringing scissors.  Page 215.)

Everyone had a voting slip where they jotted their favourite hostess set, stamp set and other product.  On Sunday we drew out a winner from the Wednesday basket, and the last few people there on Sunday helped draw Sunday's winner out.   The winners got to choose a free ink pad. 

Claire F - You've won a Blackberry Bliss Ink Pad

Lina C - You've won a Baked Brown Sugar Ink Pad

And now the bit that my launch ladies have been waiting for - the Hostess Rewards Prize Draw.  Everyone who ordered at the launch got a ticket in the draw for every $50 of products ordered.  I've tallied up the orders and drawn out the names.  Everyone jotted something they'd choose if they won the $30 prize or $15 prize.  

Drumroll please .........

Judy P chose Bloom With Hope hostess stamp set

Carmen C chose Bloom With Hope hostess stamp set too.  (This was a popular one!)

Carolyn chose the Elegant Butterfly Punch

Tegan chose Age Awareness stamp set

Amanda chose  (just confiriming)

Helen W chose the Essentials Paper Piercing Template

Rosa chose the Woodgrain Embossing Folder

Anne R chose the Crumb Cake Note Cards and Envelopes

Gail A chose the Cherry Cobbler A4 Cardstock

Congratulations to all of this year's Hostess Rewards Prize Draw winners.

And thank you to everyone who came along and helped make it a fun launch. 

I'll let you know when all of our things arrive and are ready for pick up.

Back another day with a closer look at some of the new catalogue creations I've been making lately. 

Cheers, Sue

July 1st - Who is excited?  Our new catalogue officially launches today.

You can browse through all the great new products in my online store here:  Sue's Online Store

Or downline the PDF here:   Stampin' Up New Catalogue PDF

If you haven't got your copy yet and would like to grab a cuppa and read through one - get in touch.

Don't forget those post it notes - you'll need them.  Lots of great new products and a ton of photos of beautiful projects you can try at home.

You can pick up your free copy (Avondale Heights), or I can post one for $10. 

Here's just a few things you'll find in this year's catalogue.

Project Life:  Lots of great Project Life products to make memory keeping so quick and easy.  A great solution if you've got tons of photos and no time to create.  

Use the Project Life system on its own, or combine it with traditional scrapbooking - customise it to what suits you. 

Blendabilities:  Our new alcohol markers - so great for colouring and blending.  I'm having lots of fun with these. 

We've got 6 colours plus the skin tones available now and the rest on August 1st.  Plus you can now order Memento Ink and the Colour Lifter.

A Groovy Index:  Check out pages 245 - 247.  A snazzy index of all our greeting sets including pictures.  (Is it just me that gets excited about an index - ha ha.  I really like this one.)  Looking for a Happy Birthday or a swirly font - just browse through here to help you find your perfect greeting.

Bundles - There are lots of great new bundles.  Buy both coordinating products together and save 15%.   Keep an eye out for the Bundle And Save boxes through the catalogue.  Stamps and punches, stamps and coordinating framelits.  Lots of new coordinating products - something Stampin' Up are famous for.  Makes crafting so easy.

Projects - Scattered generously through the catalogue are projects you can try at home.  Great photos plus all the products you need with handy page references.  There are so many beautiful creations through this one - a great resource to have on hand. 

If you'd like to share some new catalogue excitement with some other Stampin' Up fans - come along to my New Catalogue Launch later this month.  All the details here: Launch Dates and Details.  Filling up fast - just a few spots left. 

Happy New Catalogue day. 

Cheers, Sue

Aaaah long weekends - I do love a nice 3 day weekend.  A lovely mixture of jobs, relaxing, creating and enjoying family time happening in our place.  Tonight I thought I'd do a little Convention wrap up part 2 while watching Masterchef - multitasking hour! 

I love the bag we got this year.  Very funky, a gorgeous red.  And lots of handy compartments.

Heaps of inspiration up on the main stage.  Here's a peek at a hand carved stamp from Shelli's presentation.  (Using our Undefined Kits.)

Product playground to play with some new products - fun fun fun.

We got a chance to do our own stamp carving .....

Then stamp them to share with everyone.  Some very inventive creations there.  Have you tried our Undefined range?  Lots of fun.

Beautiful new things on display. 

Love these girls.  We had a great time creating each day.

A peek at some new products here in the make and take projects.

The Incentive Trip girls made these little squares as part of their trip swaps and put a bunch of them together to make this for the Australian staff.  Isn't it stunning.

Always a crowd favourite ......

There was a special recognition room for those of us at executive or above, the girls who earned the incentive trip or a performance bonus this year.  Here's a peek inside. 

Mmmmm .............

Looks very glamourous doesn't it.  Do you want to know what I did one of the days?  Got my coffee (decaff for those who've been following my decaffeinating - ha ha) and balancing my bag, giant camera bag and coffee headed over to the comfy couches where some of my demo friends were sitting and chatting.  And guess what - yep, the camera bag slipped, I lost my balance and tipped the entire cup all over the table and carpet.  Thankfully managed to miss all of us so the only thing injured was my dignity - ha ha.  Not quite what they mean when they say 'make an entrance'......

OK back onto the inspiration.  Lots of projects on display. 

I came straight home and ordered this celebrate banner. Can't wait to dress it up. 

More make and takes - always fun to try out some new products.  And in such great company too - a room full of 700 creative people. 

Friday night was awards night.  We wore out our hands clapping for all our demo friends.  Here's my upline Claire and my superstar downline Kylie  - this pic is the sales award Top 5 pic.  Well done girls. 

Then it was time for the afterparty.   What a fabulously fun night.  I had a ball.

Bjorn Again - the Abba tribute band - kept us all up dancing the night away. 

A photobooth - I snapped this pic of some friends (waving a hi girls) while we were in the queue waiting our turn.

Saturday morning we were back into it and these 3 on the stage kept us all in stitches. 

Some more creating time ......

And before too long it was time for it all to finish up - but not before they let us know when and where the Inspire.Create.Share event will be next year. 

Looking forward to it already!  If you ever get a chance to head along - I'd highly recommend it.  Loads of fun and you come home brimming with creative energy. 

I hope you liked my Convention Wrap Up.  I'll be back soon with some creations.

Have a fabulous weekend. 

Cheers, Sue

There were 17 Think Inkers having fun at the Stampin' Up Australia/NZ convention this year - our largest group to date.   Here's a look at the team gifts I made.  A little notebook to jot down some convention inspiration - with an added panel made with MDS and printed up on printer paper.  I wrapped it around and attached it with some washi tape.

Here's a few pics of we Think Ink girls and friends enjoying convention.  If you'd like to join the fun - next year we're off to the Gold Coast for the 2015 Inspire Create Share event.  Should be exciting!

Congratulations to Kylie - our superstar team member who was walked the stage many times on awards night.  She was 1st in Australia for both recruiting and leadership, and 3rd for sales.  What a stellar year.  We're all very proud of her. 

I was excited to receive awards for sales, recruiting and leadership and have a few stage walks during convention - always lovely to come home with some pins to show the kids.  Thanks to all my customers, class ladies and fabulous team who help me get these. 

Couple of busy days ahead but I hope to pop back in soon to share a few more bits of convention excitement.

Cheers, Sue

I'm home again from the annual Stampin' Up Australia NZ Convention:  Inspire. Create. Share 2014. 

What a fabulous 4 days - jam packed with inspiration, ideas, new products, creative time and lashings of fun. 

Want to share a bit of that?   Here's instalment one of a wrap up of the event. 

We kicked off on the Wednesday for the Leadership Day.  Stampin' Up leaders were able to attend an afternoon of great training, then we jumped on the buses to head towards Myers.  Yes Myers.

Here's how it got its' name - the room is filled with these murals of women throughout history. 

What a great venue.  One of the largest art deco style ball rooms in _______ (hmm Melbourne or Victoria or Australia, didn't catch the end of that sentence.  Cool art deco room anyway!)  Check out this stunning staircase.

If you're at a Stampin' Up event you are bound to be surrounded by beautiful flowers. 

We each got a present, beautifully wrapped of course. 

Inside was a lovely lace scarf and a lovely lovely lace background stamp from the upcoming new catalogue.  (Officially realeased in July, get in touch now if you'd like a copy when my boxes arrive in June.) 

We had a delicious meal and time to chat with our fellow demonstrators from all over Australia and New Zealand.  Plus a great band and a dance. 

Here's the wonderful group of managers and above from the team I belong to.  What a great group - lovely to have so many of us here this year. 

A stellar way to get energised ready for the official convention Day One. 

Check back here tomorrow for some more Stampin' Up Convention 2014 snippets. 

Cheers, Sue 

PS We had dessert too but I was too busy eating it to snap a pic. Mmm, mmmm.   :-) 

Are you looking for some ideas for Christmas cards, festive decorations and pretty packaging?

It is all here in our new Holiday Catalogue. 

Browse online here:  Holiday Catalogue Online

Download the PDF here:  Download 20130829_Holiday_en-SP

Or phone/email if you'd like me to post you a free copy. 

Always so much better flicking through the actual paper version isn't it.

Local ladies - give a buzz and drop by if you're passing and would like to pick up your copy or I can pop one in the post.

My number one favourite thing so far from this catalogue are these - so gorgeous and sparkly.

They're called Frosted Finishes Embellishments and they're beautiful.  (Browse or buy online here: Frosted Finishes.  Or phone/email to place an order.)

You can browse through all the Christmas products in the Holiday Catalogue here: The Christmas Range

(Hint - I change the tab near the top to Show All so I can scroll down easily on just one page.)

So are you a 'get ready in August' sort of Christmas person, or a 'mad rush in December' person.  Every year I hope I'm going to get going early and every year I'm rushing about in December.  I'll be holding Christmas card classes in September (dates coming soon) if you'd like to get a bit of a start. 

Cheers, Sue

Specials Update:

Hurry last days. 

The DSP special  - buy 3, get 1 free - on regular DSP packs ends tomorrow. 

Finishes August 31st

During September we have a butterfly special.  Buy Papillon Potpourri stamp set and the Bitty Butterfly Punch and get 15% off the bundle. 

Ok now this really is the last one - promise. 

Took some more photos around the resort lobby area so I can remember how gorgeous it was.

The giant pile of parcels.  Stampin' Up provided a box to each demonstrator to mail some goodies home, especially handy for those people extending their trip and travelling on.

We had a later transfer time so we got checked out, stored our bags and took the free shuttle into nearby Park City.  I really wanted to go on one of those ski lifts and this was our last chance.  Glad we did it straight away as it took 25 minutes - we picked a loooooong one.

Eek - high!

Still time to go exploring in ....

This gallery had stunning photos.

One last photo with a friend - Kathryn - then it was time to start journeying home again.

Qantas A380 - not much leg room for John but I did like the sky cam.  Nice seeing the flight info too and seeing us get closer and closer to home.  Feeling a bit homesick for my kids now.

And my favourite photo ....

A huge huge thank you to Stampin' Up for organising such a memorable, wonderful trip.  What a generous, warm, friendly company - I'm really thrilled to be part of the Stampin' Up family.  Very very grateful to Stampin' Up, to all my lovely customers, class regulars and Think Ink team members who helped me earn the trip, and to my parents and sisters for helping out by keeping the kids safe and happy while we were away.  Thanks everyone!!! 

Got my eye on Hawaii 2015 now.  Anyone want to come?  Click here - wink!

I hope you've enjoyed my Grand Vacation Utah recap series.  Back very soon with some new catalogue creations. 

Cheers, Sue

OK time to finish off this recap series I think for the 25th anniversary Stampin' Up Grand Vacation to Utah.

Very nice to have a little sleep in today after our action packed last few days.  We divided up today - John and my friend Kathryn's husband Tony got energetic and hired mountain bikes.  They took the chairlift/ski lift up the mountain and rode down.  Got some great pics too but they're still on John's phone so will have to come back and slot a couple in later. 

I opted for one last trip to the outlets to pick up some presents for the kids, hmmm and perhaps another outfit or two for me.   Here's a view from the shuttle bus - the ski runs look amazing.  This would be a fabulous winter destination too.

Had fun taking a peek into a huge Michael's craft store.  Decided that between the loads of gifts from Stampin' Up and the pile resulting from my couple of ventures to the shops - it was time for a new ......

Back to St Regis (with my suitcase on my lap - ha ha).

Time to meet up with John again for some relaxing by the pool and we tried out the famous St Regis Bloody Marys.  Mmmm.

This is the life. 

Soon enough it was time to go and get ready for our final night dinner at a mystery location.

About half an hour or so in the bus and we arrived at .....

Red Cliff Ranch - we had such a fun evening.

Drinks and nibblies first ....

And some team pics.  Love these girls.  How grateful I am to have shared this trip with some great friends.

Explored the ranch a little ....

Spied this - Stampin' Up really know how to put the special into special events!

Time to gather in the stables for dinner.  I was in photography heaven ....

Thanks Claire for this pic ....

Dinner was a delicious buffet featuring lots of local produce. 

Dinner and great company then time to venture outside again for more fun.

There was a fabulous country band and some dancers to entertain and lead us later in some moves to work off our dessert!

So what was dessert??  For us it was an introduction to s'mores.  

You take one of those slabs of marshmallow and toast it over the fire.  Then sit it on a cracker, top with a slab of chocolate and add a dollop of caramel and a sprinkle of salt.  Top with the other cracker and enjoy ....

Oops bit sunny there! Was so full afterwards I couldn't fit in one of these .....

Sun went down, fairy lights came up and we all enjoyed the music, dancing and talking over fires. 

Thanks Genna for this one.  Hmm I think I'm going a different direction to everyone else - ha ha.  Was heaps of fun.

Back on the bus and back to St Regis after a wonderful evening.

And another beautiful pillow gift from Stampin' Up.  This time it was a beautiful hard cover book of Utah photographs.  And look inside ......

Last day tomorrow then we head home to our munchkins who have been having a marvellous time with their cousins.

One more instalment then we're all done and dusted folks and I'll have some creations to share.

Thanks,  Sue