Shimmer strong and subtle

As a Stampin' up demonstrator every month I receive a newsletter called impressions.

 It is full of ideas to use our stamps, inks and new products. There's almost always a new technique to try
or an old technique done in a new way and I look forward to receiving the inspiration every month.

 For the month of June there are 6 projects to create ... this is my version of the one above.

Shimmer can be Strong . . .
Everyone likes a little shimmer on a card - its like adding jewellery to an outfit.
To create a strong shimmer look you start with a bold image such as the Medallion stamp.
I've stamped it first in Soft Suede,  then inked the stamp in Platinum Shimmer paint using a sponge dauber on to the rubber, and stamped it again.

When ever I CASE a card (that's Copy And Share Everything), I tend to change a few things, and this one I have put velum butterflies flittering across the card. They have been cut and embossed with the big shot machine and the embosslit die: Beautiful wings.

 The sentiment is actually inside the card.
Happy Birtthday from the teeny tiny sentiments set fits perfectly on a cut down label made with the Decorative label punch.

 It opens up to show the stamped label and sentiment, raised on dimensionals so that it locks the card closed when shut.

You get a bold and shimmery effect depending on what angle you look at the card... it gives you so many options for a shimmery look, you can even create your own shimmer spray, to sparkle on anything you want, like ribbons, card, paper, fabric ...
Our shimmer paint comes in three different colours:
Platinum, Champagne and Frost white.

Would you like to receive the impressions magazine every month too?

To find out more, or place an order you can Contact me by email or phone 0468 877 125.

Inspired by Autumn Leaves

 Inspiration is everywhere ... this is the just newly renovated walkway on our way to the local shops. They've only just laid the new concrete and it's already covered in beautiful Autumn leaves of every colour!

 The Autumn leaves inspire me every day to go home and create something that captures the warmth of early Autumn... most days I havent the time, until I had to make an Artist trading card (ATC) for a crafting group I've joined.

I came up with this using Cherry Cobbler cardstock, old Olive, Soft Suede, Early Espresso and pumpkin pie and then I made two more...

 Until I had nine or was it ten...

 I used the most obvious stampset for this:
 "French Folliage" $31.95 clear mount in the Autumn mini, page 20.
To accentuate the leaf I drew in some of the veins of the leaf with Crystal effects. This is a very strong adhesive that dries clear with a hard lacquered finish.

 Then, I sent them off to Crafters Anonymous ATCs and received back 9 other ATCs all depicting different stamping and papercrafting techniques, styles and stampsets.

ATC's are the perfect size for putting on to the front of a card as the feature image, or for putting in an album to refer back to when you need some inspiration.

Hope these cards bring you some Autumn inspiration too.

 Enjoy!!!

A CASE of Julia Leece Purse Bag

When you find something cute and special sometimes you just have to have one of your own.
This is the case with Julia Leece's bag - you can see her original here.

Ribbon share

Do you wish that you could have quality ribbon that coordinates perfectly with your Stamped creations?

Do you stare at page 137 of the Idea Book trying to figure out which ribbon you will use most?

...So do I

Join my ribbon share and get 1.3 metres of each of all these beautiful colours:

Here is how the ribbon share will work:

You get 1.3 metres of each of the
3.2cm Wide Striped Grosgrain ribbons
(in 11 colours) for $33.

OR

You get 1.3 metres of each of the
 1cm Taffeta Ribbon (in 13 Colours) for $25.

OR

Take a share in both ribbon shares
for $55 (Free shipping)!

*     *     *

You can pay by cash, cheque or direct deposit and I will post or deliver it to your door. You can e-mail or text me with your request for a share to nerida_carter@hotmail.com or 0468 877 125.

Extra Extra Hostess Gifts!!

Stampin' Up! is offering this amazing opportunity to ALL hostesses from

 23 May until 30 June.

You can earn an EXTRA $70 in FREE Stampin' Up! Products when you host a workshop reaching $450 in sales. (including GST and postage).

That is on top of the usual hostess benefits of $40 FREE product and an exclusive hostess level 1 stampset.

So what does that mean?

When your Hostess sales reach $450 you get a FREE stamp set plus $110 worth of product,

 of your choice, for FREE!

*     *     *

Contact Me ASAP to book your Stampin' Up! workshop.

This offer  continues until Thursday 30 June 2011.

The wheely Final Deal of the week 4

This weeks deals  are "Wheely" fun:

113838 Page 62  Right on Track Stampin' Around Wheel, normally $11.95, NOW $8.37

(co-ordinates with the Choo Choo train stampset $29.95).

115619 P68  Retro Remix Stampin Around Wheel usually $11.95 NOW $8.37

 (Co-ordinates with the Hello Again stampset $21.95)

Are you into Rub - ons?

119975 P134 Vintage Type Rub-Ons $15.95 NOW $11.17

118760 P134 Play Date Rub-Ons $16.95 NOW $11.87

The Deals of the Week promotion lasts from 1-31 May. So this is the last and final deal of the week.

Did you miss anything? 

If there has been any product you liked from this month's deals, Contact me before next Tuesday.

Convention 2011 News

Can you imagine what it would be like to receive an extra $70 in hostess benefits?

Who wouldn't like an extra $70 to spend!

 All you need to do is host or place a workshop order between NOW and the end of June 2011 that reaches $450 in sales (including shipping).

Once you reach $450 you'll receive the usual FREE Level 1 hostess stamp set

and $40 to spend on anything you like,

PLUS a bonus $70 to spend on any products in the current catalogues.

That's a total of $110 of free product.

* * *

If you are not local to me you don't have to miss out.

Simply pass your catalogue around to your friends and get together an order that reaches $450.

Or if your wish list is really long...

This could be the time to place an  order just for yourself or with a few friends to get your $110 worth of free product.

This special ends 30 June so don't delay. Send me an email to book your workshop, organise a catalogue workshop or place an order at nerida_carter@hotmail.com

 * * * *

Breaking News: ABNs no longer needed to purchase your  Starter kit.

Have you thought about buying the Starter Kit on page 8 of the catalogue? But thought: I dont want to go into business? I'd really just like to get the demonstrator discount and sell ocassionally to some of my friends or family?
One of the best pieces of news from Convention is : You will no longer need an ABN (Australian Business Number) to become a demonstrator. You can simply sign up, fill in the order form with your choice of stampsets and coloured ink pads, cardstock and enjoy all the benefits of a demonstrator without the hassle of starting your own business.

* * * 

If you're wanting to sign up to be a more active demonstrator - That is holding workshops and selling more than $2000 per month then you will  need an ABN to recieve commissions.

Until then it's as simple as filling in your details, choosing what you'd like in your customisable starter kit and you're done!

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator send me an email at nerida_carter@hotmail.com and I will answer any of your questions to get you signed up and started.

Enjoy!!

Convention Melbourne - Nerida's Top ten swaps

 The swaps I received this year were so varied and inspiring... these are not in any particular order, because how could you choose only one favourite?

This is the box card that everyone was liking so much as it is a similar idea from the Catalogue page 115.
But so much nicer. With glitter and watercolouring... Will have to make some of these!

Here it is opened with the stamped card on the inside.

 I loved this one from Denielle B. her very own idea of stamping staz-on ink on to Stampin-shrink which you can make into jewellery, brooches, or a bag tag! I'll be wearing this next time you see me.

How gorgeous is Karen Cumming's flower (made with the big shot and flower folds die)?
I love the layers of patterned paper and the dew drops made with crystal effects, finished with a vintage brad in the centre.

Love, Love, love the butterfly easel card by Bronwyn Eastley in sahara sand and perfect plum cardstock with the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die.

 I was so impressed with Denielle's stampin on fabric "drink coaster" I had to swap with her twice. I love the way she has stamped the very vintage wheel across the fabric and topped it with the Artistic etchings stamp with a rhinestone on the tower.

Isn't this a clever dress made by Katrina Criglington with circle punches and the scallop circle XL die forming the skirt? I'll be making some of these in different fashion combos.

This card is one that looks just stunning in real life, the Framed tulips embossing around the edge is sponged with Champagne shimmer paint and it looks amazing in sunlight. By Michelle Corbett.

I swapped twice with Jo Chester because I just loved her cards, this one uses the Decorative label punch as a window so that the embossed silver key and glittered heart shows through.

And isn't this just such a simple but perfect card?

Using the Artistic Etchings crown over the Queen for a day stamp (from You're a Gem stampset) and lightly stamped with the medallion in the background with gold spritzing too.

One of themost useful and pretty stampsets "Elements of Style", just love the textured edge and lace ribbon. There was dazzling diamonds on the flowers. So pretty by Leila Khan.

I think this is number ten ... a great male card with bike and shiny black embossing.

Deb Macdowell uses the extreme elements with Daffodil delight.

This one just has to be on my list because it is gorgeously simple and I love the way Heather Moekotte has used the Strength and Hope stampset in Perfect Plum and sponged the edges.

That's it for today I promised my top ten and gave you eleven!

Convention 2011 Melbourne - My swaps

This year I took a few less than 20 swap cards to convention.

They went fairly quickly, even though I held back a few to swap with special demos that I had promised to meet up and share with.

 For those who did swap with me... my apologies, I didn't have time to add the Card Recipe to the back.

So here it is:

Strength and Hope Card Recipe:

Stampsets: Strength and Hope, You're a Gem, French Folliage.

Cardstock: River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, River Rock.

Tools: Big shot machine, Square Lattice embossing folder, Paper snips, Decorative Label punch, Circle punches (1" and 1 1/4"), crimper.

The decorative label punch and butterfly work as a lock to keep the card closed.
By lifting the butterfly's wings you can open the card.

To see my favourite swaps that I received ... you will have to come back tomorrow.

Enjoy!!!

Convention 2011 Melbourne

 Five Fabulous days in Melbourne... Stampin up certainly know how to entertain, educate and reward their demonstrators!
 I brought home far more than I ever expected.

All 450 plus demonstrators received stampsets, cardkits, badges, pens, and gifts (that I can't show you yet as they are products from the new catalogue that doesn't come out until September).

Lucky I packed light on the way down otherwise I'd have had to pay extra on the way home.

Where to start?

Day one:

I flew down with my room mate Denielle (she picked me up at the unearthly hour of 3am for our 6am flight), we had breakfast, did a bit of shopping, caught a tram ride around the city, strolled the gardens and visited the Tutankhamun exhibition at the Melbourne museum.

 Day Two:

On the first day of the actual convention we splurged on Memento Mall gifts with the Tote bag everyone had to have, the shopping bags, the book marks, more pens ... and a Convention theme stamp!

 The Theme of Convention 2011 was

"Love what you do, Share what you love."

The main stage was decorated with massive punched cardstock props, wood blocks and a tag with the

 share what you love theme.

When you first arrive at Convention, there is this hum of voices in the entrance hall ... the buzz of women swapping card samples with the main purpose being: meeting up with other demos and making new friends.

This year the swaps were exceptional: not just cards but 3D gifts, jewellery, embellishments and brooches. 

Some of them are dropped in a basket and then pinned on display boards as a wealth of shared ideas and technique samples.

Denielle and I got to meet Shelli and have a private chat, she is one of the warmest and most approachable CEOs I have ever met.

 Shelli demonstrated a number of gorgeous ideas and techniques up on the main stage and we get to see every step of the process on the big screen, stuff ups and sneak peeks of new not-yet-launched products included.

Here's a snapshot of the hostess gift Shelli made up on stage.

Her style is very much vintage and she loves embossing, bling, butterflies and distressing her embellishments and papers.

Here is Denielle, Ellen and I having a good giggle and soaking up the atmosphere.

Each day at lunch we found the dining hall and sat with friends to eat and plan our evening entertainments.

And, on Saturday night we dressed up for a formal dinner at the Convention venue.

Denielle, Maree, Charmayne and Me.

More to enjoy tomorrow!

Nerida