Father's day project

It is the 31st of August, last day of the 2010 Idea Book and Catalogue.

And I am ... waiting, waiting, waiting for tomorrow.

Why? Its the first day of Spring and the beginning of the shiny new

Stampin up' 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalogue.

 I have a launch party in a few weeks - I am so excited about!!!

However, while we wait, we have this day called
 Father's day!
This year I am donating cards to the father's day stall at School and it has been lots of fun finding a simple repeatable design I can make. Its tricky enough to make just a generic male card at the best of times but to make 20 or more...

My idea was to make a mask with the Curly label punch and sponge a blue sky,

 then stamp this gorgeous new tree stamp in the centre.

On some of them, to make them ... well,

a little more masculine

 I used the "Sense of Time" stamp set.

Can you pick the new colour(s) I have used ? 

The Happy Father's Day stamp is from Teeny Tiny sentiments

 The border pattern is from Pendant Park stamped on Confetti white cardstock.

Enjoy!!!

The motivation of Zen

I have been reading an article about Zen and motivation.

I apologise if you are wondering what this has to do with card making ...

 it has everything to do with motivation and much to do with releasing stress, control and feelings of being overwelmed with everything that has to be done.

 To find your zen-motivation come on an experimental break with me:

1. Look at your surroundings, but only notice colours, textures and shapes.

or

2. Listen to sounds in your immediate environment, but not voices.

Tune into mundane sounds like the hum of your computer, the running refrigerator motor. You can also listen to the sound of the wind blowing or the distant traffic, even birds ...

or

3. Feel outside textures and temperatures, such as the fabric of a piece of furniture or the carpet.

Perhaps the coolness of a glass of water ...It also works to feel environmental pressure, such as the pressure of your body against the seat or the general feeling of gravity pulling you toward the earth.

 

Stay with it for 20-30 seconds.

 If your attention wanders, that's fine. Just return to noticing the particular external sight, sound or feeling you had been noticing.

 After several moments, you will feel yourself "settle" a bit.

You will relax and your bodily tension will ease. This is the beginning of a more present, Zen-like awareness.

* * * 

 While in this state, gently consider what you need to do, then follow your natural instinct!

 The steps to Zen motivation are simple:

1. Enter a Zen-like state using your external senses

2. Gently consider what you need to do

3. Follow your natural instinct to act.

*** 

To find my Zen motivaton - you guessed it - I focussed on the colours, shapes and textures in my environment. I close my eyes and listen to the computer, fridge, trees and birds outside.

Then I open my eyes and go make some cards.

 * * * * *

"The sights, sounds and feelings of the world are always with you. Use them to your advantage. Get out of your head and tune into your environment. Once you are grounded in the present, motivating yourself is as simple as considering what needs to be done." Mike Bundrant, August 2011.

New Idea book and catalogue launch

On the first of September, we will have a brand new Stampin' up Idea Book and catalogue!

This year's catalogue launch will be on

 Tuesday 13th September at 7.30pm.

The venue is the Narara Baptist Church Hall at 127 Narara Valley Drive, Narara.

 Seats at my table are limited so email me at nerida_carter@hotmail.com if you want to be the first to play with some of the newest stamps, tools, ink and cardstock colours at our launch night.

At the launch:

• You will be amongst the first to play with the new products featured in the new Catalogue
• You will receive your own copy of the new catalogue
• You will make 3 great projects
• You will be winning prizes from the prize patrol!
• You will be in the draw for the main Lucky door prize
• Enjoy tea, coffee and a light Supper with friends and other enthusiast crafters
• View project samples of  new products on our display tables and see what else you can do with the new stamps and techniques (bring your camera and capture ideas on display).

 So, come along and be part of the fun!

Your night out with the girls will cost just $20

which includes your copy of the catalogue to take home, and three make and take projects

 (all materials and tuition included) on the night.

Email me : nerida_carter@hotmail.com to reserve your place

 (prepayment preferred to secure your seat). 

Builder wheel background

 You may have guessed that I now have a couple of new stampsets from the soon to be released

Stampin' Up 2011-2012 Idea Book and catalogue.

 Builder wheels ( which have featured in our Summer and Autumn minis) will be in the main catalogue.

They make a really cool background that you can change around for cards or belly bands on boxes.

This one uses the Birthday wheel, and Bees and Blossoms.

You may not have seen this flower before either, or have you?

It is just one of 8 stamps called "Button Buddies" designed for the button enthusiast and collector in mind.

What else were you going to do with all those cute little buttons, that you (if you are like me) have been collecting in packets, bottles and containers?

Very Vintage Vogue in Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight and Concord Crush

I couldn't face another pinky, plumy, rosey coloured card today ...

so I shall show you a card that we made at a workshop recently.

We splashed out in Marina Mist, Concord Crush and Daffodil Delight.

Many of us shy away from yellows (especially the bright ones), yet blue and purple stand opposite yellow in the colour chart. And, there was that gorgeous roll of satin ribbon and the Daffodil delight coloured buttons, almost unused until now.

The stampset is vintage vogue.

The background is stamped with the Very Vintage wheel.

My second version of this card has a Daffodil Delight Taffeta bow. The leaves are punched from the large bird  builder punch and to contrast the pretty button, we put it on a Boho Blossom punch flower and finished with a rhinestone jewell.

Top note gift folder

This is the hostess gift I have been making at my workshops recently.
Comprised of 2 top note die cuts decorated with a textured embossing folder (this one with Manhattan flower).

 It is really quick to make with the Big shot machine, even decorating the outside is done with three beautiful butterflies, wheeled over with the Very vintage wheel in Concord Crush ink.

Open the inside and there are 4 pockets made with a 6"x6" folded piece of Designer Series paper.

 Great for stationery items like a Stampin' Up pen, bold bright buttons, some post it notes and a magnetic bookmark.

Other enclosures could include: 4 small chocolate blocks in the pockets, tea bags, gift tags and coffee sachets as a hostess gift or gift to a friend.

Let me know if you'd like a demonstration tutorial on how to make this easy project.

Tie with some gorgeous Concord crush polystitched ribbon and voila a pretty gift!

Big Birthdays!

On the weekend we were invited to a lovely lady's

 70th Birthday party

( I still think she lies about her age... 60 maybe).

Her favourite colour is green and that was the theme for her party, so this is the inspiration for my card.

 There are a few sneek peaks here, into the new Idea Book and Catalogue that comes out next month...

 My antique flower is made with three scrunched and distressed punched fancy flowers.

I sprayed them with water and creased them up before drying and layering them with the antique brad in the centre. The rest is sponged heavily with a new green called "Lucky Limeade".

 If you know me I love textures, so I indulged my senses with the embossing folder "Elegant lines", the white layer is embossed with Vintage wallpaper and a piece of Old olive taffeta ribbon.

On the inside, I decorated with stamps of course,

AND a layer of Lucky Limeade and old olive cardstock, edged with the eyelet border punch.

 My butterfly is rock and rolled in more new colours: Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Lucky Limeade.

Going going ... retirement list

This month our Stampin' Up team have been Farewelling stamps and products from the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue. A few of us swapped cards with the challenge to use as many retiring products as you can. Here are 4 that I received:

Debra has used Fresh cuts stampset, Occassional greetings and Marina Mist Satin ribbon. 

 Karen has used Great Friend stampset, Sunny Garden DSP, The Designer Label punch, photo corners punch and the Certainly Celery striped grosgrain ribbon.

 Linda has used: The BlueBerry Crisp DSP, Razzle Dazzle stampset and Occasional greetings, Marina Mist satin ribbon, and the also retiring Designer label punch.

 Nerida (stamping joy) used two retiring stampsets: Friends 24/7 and sense of Time AND the Designer label punch. Then because I love this stampset I made another card to celebrate August retirement month.

This card uses The Sense of Time stampset in Pacific Point and black embossing powder.

Now if you are wanting to order any thing from the retirement list just send me an email to nerida_carter@hotmail.com and we will place your order asap.

*   *   *   *   *

The retirement products are going very fast from the wharehouse and the the latest update from Stampin' Up tells me the following items are now no longer available to order:

Garden Whimsy Stamp set [wood-mount] -

(If you are looking for this one I have a "gently-used" set that I will be selling off on 1 September.)

Choo Choo Stamp Set [wood-mount]

Sanded Background Stamp [wood-mount]

Full Calendar Stamp [wood-mount]

Bashful Blue 12" x 12" Card Stock

Rich Razzleberry 12" x 12" Card Stock

Early Espresso 12" x 12" Card Stock

Chocolate Chip 12" x 12" Card Stock

Night of Navy 12" x 12" Card Stock

Marina Mist 12" x 12" Card Stock

Crumb Cake 12" x 12" Card Stock

Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets

Metallic Eyelets

Pewter Jumbo Eyelets

Photo Corners Punch

Spiral Punch

Star Punch

Small Oval Punch

Say Goodbye... 2010 Idea book Caty

The Stampin' Up 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue finishes at the end of August and to that means that the Retirement list is available.

There are some exciting Bargain priced products on the list.

But these bargains are only available until 31 August or till stocks run out.

The jumbo eyelets and the spiral punch are already out of stock!!!

Bargains like these:

40% off Gifted stampset (page21)

40% off Jolly Holiday Designer series paper

25% off many other products

Email me nerida_carter@hotmail.com or give me a call to place your order, as items on this list have begun to run out already.

Winter ATC swap with Crafters Anonymous

 An ATC is an Artist Trading Card and they are very collectable ... I often put my name down for an ATC swap as you can make 8 or 10 in very short time and you will receive back a selection of cards with different techniques stamps and ideas. These are my ten swap cards for the Winter ATC group.

 My inspiration for winter was the Camelia bush in our front garden.

It puts on a beautiful flowering display right through winter with huge white blooms.

Winter is also naked brown trees and sitting outside in the winter sunshine... when its not raining of course.

 The tree is stamped in Early Espresso ink on Naturals Ivory cardstock.

Then I have used champagne shimmer paint sponged with a sponge dauber for the shimmery sparkle when the sun comes out after rain.

Recipe: 

Stampset- Pendant Park $27.95 Clear mount $37.95 Wood mount.

Cardstock; Early espresso, Naturals ivory.

Ink: Early espresso, Cherry Cobbler

Punches: itty bitty punches

Accessories: Shimmer paint - champagne, sponge dauber, Pearl jewels, Clear Block D, dimensionals.