Product Tips

Favourite Tools: Paper Snips

Paper Snips

When I'm thinking of my favourite tools for papercrafts one of the first things on my list is my paper snips.  They're a handy sharp pair of scissors that I keep just for my crafting.  'Family - this means you need to go find another pair!!'  The precision-ground stainless steel tips cut cleanly all the way to the end of the blades and they come with a safety cover.  At one of our Stampin' Up events our leaders' gift was this snazzy lanyard to clip on - I've clipped mine to my newest, sharpest pair and always use these ones for fussy cutting.  

Find them here:  Paper Snips

Have a great week and happy crafting if you're getting creative.

Cheers, Sue


Brushos Background Cards

Brushos-card

We've had such a lot of fun in card class last month using Brushos watercolour ink crystals and a water spritzer to make gorgeous backgrounds.  Every one turned out differently. 

This technique is so easy.  Just emboss your image onto watercolour card - I used Dandelion Wishes stamp set and white embossing powder.  Then sprinkle some of the Brushos crystals - there are 5 colours in the pack.  Last you spritz some water. 

You can wet the paper first then sprinkle but I love the element of surprise you get when you spritz last.  Add just a little water for a more speckled look, or spray away and get more of a watercoloured look.  SUCH a lot of fun to experiment with.  These were my two favourites from my batch. 

Brushos-card-2

Add some Brushos and watercolour paper to your next order if you'd love to have some creative colourful fun.  Don't forget to protect your surfaces to prevent staining.  Great way to use some of that brown packing paper that comes in our boxes!  Another tip - don't open the lids. Just pierce them with a pin.  I leave the pin in when I'm not using them or you can seal them with some washi tape. 

Have a colourful weekend!

Cheers, Sue

Shopping Links:  Use the host code QHC24T6B when ordering and I'll pop a gift in the post for you next month. Contact me if you have any product/technique questions.

Grid Paper
$19.25
Heat Tool
$50.00

 


Blended Seasons and Ribbon Offcut Tip

Blended-season-5

A few years back at a Stampin' Up event one of the demonstrator presenters was Jacque Williams.  She shared this great tip for a nifty way to use ribbon offcuts.  Just layer up a bunch of them and choose one longer piece to tie them.  Makes a great textural feature for a card.  I love it with a mix of textures. Here I've used Rich Razzleberry velvet ribbon, some lace ones and some metallic ribbons.  I've taped it on the back and added a glue dot under the knot to help hold it in place. 

I've used that Blended Seasons frame that I keep raving on about again for this card.  (Only around in August remember!)  The DSP is Petal Promenade and this particular pattern looks a bit like crushed silk.  For the greeting I've used Accented Blooms and the coordinating Tailored Tag punch.  A nice mix of bold with the softness of that script - love this stamp set.

Accented-blooms-and-punch

I've trimmed the vanilla layer with some copper glimmer paper.  (Coming up soon in the Holiday Catalogue - keep an eye out.)  I'd cut words from the copper but was still able to use this leftover border for the matting piece.  Trying to use scraps up straight away lately. 

Blended-season-5b

Happy stamping!

Bonus Days: Ordering $90 or more in August? Don't forget to hang on to your coupon code ($9 coupon for each $90 spent) so you can redeem it in September.   Ordered this year? Your Holiday Catalogue should be arriving any day now.  Get in touch if you'd like a copy in your mailbox.  Classes: Catch a card class this month.  Dates and details here on my class page.

Cheers, Sue

Here are the shopping links for this project.  Host code this month is QHC24T6B

Product List


Making Pop Up Cards With Party Pop Up Thinlits

Everyone loves a pop up card - that nice element of surprise when you open the card always brings a smile to the face.  Now you can make them really easily with the Party Pop Up Thinlits.

Party-pop-up-card

And open it up ......

Party-pop-up-inside-card

Tips and Techniques: Cut your card insert section, score it down the middle then place the Party Pop Up Thinlit carefully so the tabs line up with the score line. 

Scoring-cardstock

Hip-hip-hooray-big-shot

You can use the other thinlit as the pop up element too - it also has tabs marking the central line - one on the base and can you see the other tucked between two of the candles?

Happy-birthday-insert

For my Big Shot sandwich I've put the magnetic plate at the bottom, the precision plate on top, then my cardstock and thinlit (cutting edge down) and finally one acrylic plate on top.  I find the precision plate handy for more intricate dies like this. 

Once you've run it through, time to get out the new Big Shot brush and foam mat.  Roll the brush over your thinlit a few times in different directions and voila - the little bits come out and no more 'ten minutes with the poker' poking bits out.  My new favourite tool I think!

Big-shot-brush

Big-shot-brush-and-foam-mat

Now fold all your score lines and adhere your insert inside your card, making sure to get the scored line tightly into the centre of your card. 

Party-pop-up-insert

You can also use the elements on the front of your card.  At class in February we found the Fine Tip Glue super handy for sticking the fine lettering of Happy Birthday onto our card front. 

Fine-tip-glue-party-pop-up

I loved using these and am hoping we might have some more pop up elements in future catalogues.  At class we were remembering those frog mouth type pop up cards some of us used to make when we were kids, or the spirals with a shape stuck on top.  Got any pop up memories?  I've always loved pop up books too. 

Happy Stamping!

Cheers, Sue


Gift Wrapping And Ribbon Scraps

I keep my ribbon offcuts in a little bowl on my desk and they come in handy for wrapping. You can use the same idea and add a little grouping to a card. 

If you've gotten any Stampin' Up packages delivered directly you might recognise my wrapping paper too!  We never run out here. 

IMG_2918

IMG_2920

Retired bits and pieces there.  What are your favourite products from catalogues past?  I did love that beautiful netting ribbon - forget the name of it now. 

We'll have some brand new goodies coming very soon with our new seasonal catalogue and saleabration just round the corner!    Let me know if you'd like me to pop these catalogues in the post for you once mine arrive.  Not long now.

Happy January. 

Cheers, Sue


Introducing The Diagonal Plate

Diagonal-plate

A new addition to introduce you to today.  The diagonal plate for the Simply Scored. 

This is available to order from today.  It is $20.95

It sits on top of the Simply Scored and has etched grooves every 1/8".

It includes instructions for how to use it to make envelopes.  I'll show you some other things you can do with it in the coming weeks. 

If I'm awake!    

We're usually a little bleary eyed in our house during July.  Staying up til the wee hours watching the Tour De France!    Lycra month - we're usually quite happy when they get to Paris and we can catch up on some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs. 

Happy stamping.   Cheers, Sue


A Colour Renovation!

Breaking news from Stampin' Up! 

A colour renovation is on its way.  That's right - our colour families are having a freshen up, a facelift, a makeover. 

It is always nice to go through the wardrobe and shake everything out, look at it with fresh eyes, keep some, make some space and then do a bit of updating and that is what Stampin' Up will be doing here in Australia in September.  Here is what the new fresh colour collections will look like in September 2010.

New-Colour-Collections 
 
That's right - 4 colour collections:  Brights, Neutrals, Regals and Subtles - each with 10 colours.    You'll see 25 of our current range, 10 returning in colours (ooh some gorgeous ones too!) and 5 brand new colours.   Kraft is getting a new name - Crumb Cake. 

In September 2010 we'll be getting 5 new In Colours and these will be with us for 2 years - a great idea I think.  In September 2011 we'll get 5 more new In Colours (once again for 2 years.)

Now making space in the wardrobe does mean we'll be saying farewell to some colours at the end of August 2010.  Some we may not miss much at all, some we might be sorry to see on the list.   We've got plenty of time here in Australia to stock up on reinkers and cardstock in any favourites.  Keep the list in mind in the coming months.

Here's the colours we'll say a fond farewell to at the end of August 2010.

Fond farewell cropped
 

I think I'll miss Sage Shadow and Close To Cocoa so will be having a good play with those colours in the next few months, but there are lots of yummy colours in the new collections that will keep us all busy in our craft rooms when September rolls around and the changes take effect. 

Big news isn't it!   Makeovers are always exciting.  Have a lovely weekend.

Cheers, Sue


Circle Scissors Scrapbook Layout: Sneak Peek

Circle-scissors


I've been having fun playing with the newest tool in my tool kit - Circle Scissors.   It's a great tool for cutting circles and I love that you can cut rings with it as well.  

Circle Scissors Tips: I had to play with it for a little while to get the feel of it.  Some tips from other demonstrators were terrific - attach your cardstock to the  glass mat using Dotto repositionable adhesive (pg 154), and use a light touch.  I found keeping my grip light and going round a few times worked the best - when I gripped the blade holder more firmly I'd move the tool slightly.

I ended up with quite a pile of circles and rings on my craft desk so grabbed a handful to make a scrapbook layout.  You can see it here at StampAMemory website.  Here's a sneak peek.

Hannah-circles-close-1 

While you're there, check out the groovy new header Tanja created and all the great scrapbooking inspiration from the other girls on the design team. 

If you're after a holiday project, Miriam has a great Mini Album Tutorial available for just $10.  Find the details here.  You'll need a Simply Scrappin' Kit and some basic supplies from your stash to complete the project. 

Have a great weekend.

Cheers, Sue


New Marker Club Starting - A Few Spots Left

Have you tried our Stampin' Write Markers?  You can do such a lot with them - I'll show some pics below.

If you'd like to build up a collection of 52 markers over the next 8 months - you might like to grab one of the remaining spots in my newest Marker Club. 

Box-of-markers

Each month for 8 months you'll receive 6 markers, plus a tutorial will arrive in your inbox to give you step by step instructions and photos for ways to use them.  There's a different technique each month.  

Each month you also get a little surprise gift from me in your package.  It might be something to help you try that month's technique (like some samples of vellum or watercolour paper) or something to use on your cards (like some lengths of ribbon or a sheet of Stampin' Dimensionals.)  A nice little bonus when you open your package.

Marker-club-monthly-package 

Then for one month you are the Marker Club Hostess.  That month you select a Level 1 hostess set plus $70 of goodies of your choice from the current catalogues.  

In your hostess month you also get the handy carry case that stores your markers horizontally and keeps them all neatly organised, plus the set of 4 neutral markers.  

Here's what one of my previous hostesses got in their package.

Marker-club-hostess-package

The cost is $40 per month for 8 months.  I have a few spots left in my latest group. 

Get in touch if you'd like to grab one of the remaining places and start building your marker collection, or if you have any questions.  I'd be happy to help.

Phone: 03 9325 4913 or 0417 377 057 Email: [email protected]

OK so what can you do with your markers??

You can colour direct to rubber for a multicoloured image ...

Sketch-heart-card

Markers-small-card


Garden whimsy old olive close up

You can watercolour ...

Colouring-card-1

You can doodle lines for a casual handrawn style ...

Hbd letters

Doodling-sbs-7 

You can colour in stamped images ...

Jaynes-emily's-card

You can colour ribbon ....

Colour-ribbon-bright-ribbon

And lots more.  Of course, your markers match your Stampin' Up! papers and embellishments, so it  makes it easy to create a coordinated project.

Let me know if you'd like more information.

NOVEMBER CLASSES

Just a quick note to let you know 3 of the November dates have booked out but there's still space left on Tuesday November 24th if you'd like to come along to a 'Christmas Cards With Sparkle' class.

Details here. 
 

Cheers and have a great weekend,   Sue


 
 


  


A Christmas Share ...

Are you planning to get an early start on your Christmas cards this year?  Need some Christmas supplies to help get in the mood?  Read on for a Christmas share you might be interested in.

Christmas-share-ribbons

After doing most of my cards in December last year I'm determined to get going earlier in 2009.  (Helps a lot with keeping that 'Festive Feeling' happening in December, instead of the 'AGGGHH Frazzled Feeling!')

I've put together a Christmas Share for people wanting some ribbons and papers in greens and reds for their Christmas cards, crafts or scrapbooking.

Christmas-share 

Each share contains:

  • A 6" x 6" square of each paper in the Holiday Treasures pack (6 sheets in total)

  • One metre of Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon

  • One metre of Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon

  • One metre of Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

  • One metre of Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon

  • One metre of Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon

Share cost:  

  • $12  if picked up from my place

  • or $14  including postage.

Phone or email to order your share.  Payment can be made by cash (pick up only), cheque or direct deposit.  Make lots of cards??  You can order more than one share if you need extra supplies.

You can find the Holiday Treasures paper on pg 134 and the ribbons on pg 151.

Back Monday to Friday next week with lots more!  Have a great weekend.

Cheers, Sue