Male card - Happy Birthday Star

I thought I'd show you the card we made at my weekend workshop last Saturday:

Its a male card or more aptly a "Boy card" !!!!

What that means is that there are no flowers on it, no frilly swirly bits and it has blue and green cardstock and some corrogated and crimped elements, its a bit distressed looking and has nothing that boys wouldn't like.

We used two stampsets and a bunch of handy tools:

Starring You stampset $24.95 (page 141 Idea book and catalogue)

Nursery Necessities for the alphabet star $56.95 (page 61)

Star punch $30.95 (p.153)

Circle punch $30.95

The colours are:

Taken with Teal, Only Orange, Green Galore and whisper white.

We used Not Quite Navy ink for stamping the background stars and Happy Birthday sentiment.

The crimpy green galore strip was made using the crimper tool, (page 155) and inked to give it that distressed corrogated iron look.

But did the boys like it?

Technique: Spotlight with watercolouring

Have you tried this technique?
Stamp a card front or ATC (thats an Artist Trading Card) with monotone colours (I've used Sahara Sand and close to cocoa ink for the back ground stamping). You could use black or grey.
Then, stamp another of the same image on cardstock and punch it out.
Mount it on a coloured circle (a little larger than the image circle), and water colour in the details.

I have used Rich razzleberry ink to water colour my rose bud using an aquapainter pen. The more water you use the lighter the colour.
Doesn't it bring out this lovely "Embrace life" Rose bud beautifully?

I have made eight of these ATC samples to swap with.

 It was the June technique of the month.

With water colouring every one is definitely different.

Project Recipe:

Stampsets: Embrace Life, En Francais background stamp.

Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand, Rich Razzleberry.

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Sahara Sand, Rich Razzleberry.

Ribbon: Kraft tafetta

Punches: Word window, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circles.

Starter kit special offer

Do you have a WISH List as long as your arm?
Or, Would you love to make money while stamping, set your own hours, and supplement your income with a successful home business?
Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator means you'll enjoy all of this and more. Whether you'd like to earn money to pay for your stamping supplies, create a full- or part-time career, or simply get a discount on your stamping supplies, Stampin' Up! will help you do it.
And now, from 21 May-31 July, get a 20 percent discount on the Starter Kit when you join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator! For $259 you get an amazing amount of product  and tools.

The Stampin' Up! Starter Kit contains the following supplies, (valued at over $560!)
Items with an * are suggested items.
You can select alternatives at the same or lower price.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Four stamp sets*
Stampin' Around wheel*, handle, and ink cartridge
Assorted card stock A4*
Single colour card stock A4*
Four Classic Stampin' Pads*
Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad
VersaMark Pad
Stampin' Pastels
SNAIL Adhesive
Blender pens
Craft & Rubber Scissors
Stampin' Scrub and Mist
Business supplies

This is how I started, I thought I wasn't creative enough, I was too slow at making cards, I couldn't have parties at home, I couldn't demonstrate cards for others to make... but you know,
I became a demo to get the 30% off on my first order, and subsequent 20% on all my purchases after that,
to go to team training meetings, and convention and see all the new stampsets and products before they are launched.... the list goes on, I have made friends, and gained many stampin' up mentors.
Look I am still here, two and a half years later ...
Give me a call and we can sign you up to get your first 30% off order on its way!

Rustic Rooster ... a free hostess gift

Hostess gifts in the idea book and catalogue are Free!
That's right all you need to earn a free catalogue and a free stampset is to invite a group of your friends over for a morning or afternoon tea.

We will make one or two cards and share a few hours of creative fun and all my hostesses get a free hostess stampset with their free catalogue. And, if your workshop sales come to $300 or more, then you also earn $30 worth of free product from any of the current catalogues.

At the moment most of us are drawing up a list of the expiring catalogue ink and cardstock colours that we want to order, why not order them all together and get the benefits for yourself.

These tags use two of the expiring ink colours - Close to Cocoa and creamy caramel.

Just as a comparison the first rustic rooster is stamped in Chocolate chip, the second is in Close to Cocoa, 3rd in Creamy Caramel, 4th is Soft Suede and 5th is Sahara sand.

If you click on the images you can make them larger to see the colours better.

The cardstock is Sahara Sand and I have rounded the corners with my corner rounder (This tool is not in the current catalogue but still available to order at $11.50).

Contact me and make a date for your workshop party on: 0468 877 125 or email me at nerida_carter@hotmail.com

Come and see me at the West Gosford Craft Markets

Its on again this Sunday!

Come and see Stampin up 's stall undercover in the sunny West Gosford storage units.

The address is 20 Tathra Street ( take Yandira road, when you turn off Manns Road).

We open at 9am and are there till 2pm.

We are offering:

A make and take card (for $2.00 per card)

Show bags for $10 (containing the current idea book and catalogue, mini caty and a $5 off voucher)

Retired catalogue stampsets at 20-30% off the retail price And,

hand made cards for sale for $3 and $4 each.

Other stall holders include:

Hand made jewellery, knitted scarves, hats and clothing,

childrens clothes, toys and baby items,

Modern decor, Country decor and homewares,

quilts, candles, aromatherapy.

New stalls open every month.

The West Gosford craft Marketers are having another Community market day this Sunday 27th June.

Rhinestones and ribbon ...

Aren't these gorgous together?

Do you know, I don't own any fire or ice rhinestones ...

You may have noticed I use my clear rhinestones when ever I need a little point of shine, bling and a centre of attention.

They suit vintage cards like this one which I think makes a nice wedding or anniversary card.

It is inspired by Shelli's vintage demo at Convention. Its definitely my style too.

You can do so much with monotone colours (thats a single colour).

And you can be certain you will have no colour clashes.

The collage effect of different stamps layed over each other is another easy technique that makes a one layer card so easy to prepare.

Without the rhinestone and filigree brad in the centre of the ribbon this card would be well... a little dull I think. I am pretty pleased with how this turned out and it could be done in melon mambo or Rich Razzleberry colours too.

If you are looking for some bling for the centre of your accesories let me know before Wednesday so that we can place an order for some rhinestones and ribbon.

Card Recipe:

Stampsets: Friends 24/7, Rustic Rooster, Teeny tiny sentiments.

Cardstock: Sahara sand

Ink: Sahara sand, Soft Suede.

Accessories: Clear Rhinestone brads, Filigree brad, Soft Suede polka dot ribbon.

Tools: Large Oval punch, Scallop oval punch.

Last of the June Deals of the Week 4.

These deals are only available from today until 30 June at these amazing prices ...
Item.     Page.   Description.        Regular Price.   Sale Price.
----------------------------------------------------------------
109113 p149 Square Ice Rhinestone brads $19.95
                                                     Sale Price $11.97
109111 p149 Circle Ice Rhinestone brads   $19.95
                                                     Sale Price $11.97
109112 p149 Square Fire Rhinestone brads $19.95
                                                     Sale Price $11.97
111848 p150 Bashful Blue 1" double-stitched grosgrain ribbon $19.95                     Sale Price $10.97
109050 p151 Certainly Celery 5/8" grosgrain ribbon $14.95
                                                     Sale price $8.97
You can Email me at nerida_carter@hotmail.com or phone 0468 877 125 if you wish to place an order.

All a flutter framed butterflies...

Here we are again, the beginning of the week ... I hope you enjoyed your weekend?
I want to show you something I came across while blog-surfing my way overseas ...
my internet blogging takes me to sites in the US and the UK.
I want to thank Jo Dumbleton http://www.stampin-n-stuff.blogspot.com/ for this great idea.
Hers had another layer of words going around the edge, but that would have taken another 20 minutes of stamp-a-ma-jig fun, which I didnt have the extra time for and besides I like to keep it simple.

I bought a pack of three sqaure box frames a while ago now, so I easily stamped these pictures and  clicked the 6x6 inch cardstock into the back and now they are ready for hanging.

Sing out if you see any more of these white frames for me wont you?

The backgrounds are stamped in creamy caramel and soft suede and the left hand one has some pink pirrouette on the very vintage wheel. 

My butterflies are stamped in stazon black ink then watercoloured with the classic inkpads and an aquapainter. The one above is in kiwi kiss and soft suede.

Pumpkin pie and rose red.

Pacific Point and kiwi kiss.

Shades of Rich Razzle berry layed over and over.

The butterflies are set higher than the cardstock with dimensionals.

I'd like to do a frame with actual butterfly colours, like from a book or something.

Stampsets used: En francais background, Very vintage wheel, All a flutter.

Cardstock: Whisper white (textured and plain)

Ink: Stazon black and the other colours ... you can guess what I left out.

Tools: Aquapainter pen, or you can use a paint brush....

Time taken: All Sunday afternoon, just watercolouring and cutting - Enjoy!

Bargain alert - Deal of the week 3!

Wow! I spent a few nights away in Sydney and missed the begining of the Deal of the week but its not too late... we have until Tuesday night to place an order for these amazing specials.

All of these stamps are on sale until Tuesday 22nd June 2010

Most of these are 50% off! You have to love that...

Item     Page Description        Regular Price     Sale Price

114263 34 A Happy Heart stamp set $41.95 NOW $20.98
115792 57 Greetings Eight stamp set $49.95  JUST $24.98

116330 78 Bella’s Bloom stamp set $24.95 Gorgous stamps for only $14.97!!!

113009 97 Enjoy Every Moment stamp set $53.95 One of my favourite stampsets: $26.98

114283 105 All Scallops stamp set $55.95 Down to: $27.98

Email me or give me a call on 0468 877 125 before Tuesday afternoon ... I will be placing my order early afternoon.
Oh and if you buy 2 or more of the stampsets above I will give you FREE postage (thats 5% less again).

Organic Outlines, again.

My next card was inspired partially by a card I saw at Convention, the colours anyway, but I can't remember much of it and besides I never keep to the plan. I do my own thing in the end with the colours I have and the cardstock and tools on my table.
I Decided to use the topnote for my whisper white panel ... I stamped the solid organic shape in Melon Mambo classic ink, then the outline in Soft suede.

The Tag is from "Lots of Tags" a sizzlits die (page 10 of the Autumn Winter Mini catalogue).
I have stamped the sentiment in the melon mambo ink first then just touched the corner of the soft suede ink pad over the "for you" part. I have also stamped two flowers and cut them out to layer one on top of each other for some added dimension.
I just can't wait till these colours come out in markers ... So many  ideas, so little time.

Organic Outlines two cards many colour ways...

My new stampset is a bit different to what I have been using lately...

I have had my eye on it for a little while, but kept bumping it down the list, until now.

I pulled out the ink and cardstock to try it out on Saturday afternoon, the first card started out as a kind of loose case from the Idea book and catalogue (page 73 for those of you following my creative journey).

The colours are kiwi kiss, Old Olive and Close to Cocoa.

The cardstock has been rolled through my big shot machine using the embossing folder (Perfect polka dots) for a textured effect.

The stampset has 4 stamps including this small flower that I have stamped and layered on to a 1" circle and 1 1/4" circle. The ribbon is kiwi kiss silk and I have distressed the edges of the Close to cocoa strip.

The words in the set are "happy for you" ... good for many occasions perhaps for a Birthday, or congratulations or any happy occasion.

To finish the card I hi-lighted the dots with crystal effects, it looks a tiny bit like dew drops on the leaves.

And then on Friday ...

I had a very creative weekend.

On Friday a friend visited to pick up her stamping order and we made a card and had lunch together.

The colours are very ... well bold and bright!

Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise and white.

You may recognise this card from the Autumn Winter mini on page 32.

As I cleared away I had a bundle of left over cardstock and scraps and decided I had just enough time to make another card before picking up daughter from school ...

I have used the share a cup stamp again, and cut it out to lift up onto a metal edged tag.

I love how our perfect polka dot embossing folder goes with the cup pattern

 and the polka dot melon mambo ribbon.

I've used my spiral edge punch for the decoration on the edge of the card. Enjoy!!!

Fox and Friends ... mail box swap

Ahh, I do love when the post man brings me a card .... especially one that is unexpected.
As you know at Convention Demonstrator's swap cards and contact details which is really nice, so that you can send a card when you get home.

This is the swap that I received from the talented and lovely Denise MacCabe, last week.

The idea of swaps is to share our ideas, techniques, styles, uses of stampsets and punches with other demos who in turn share with their customers and to CASE (copy and share everything) for new creative ideas.

This was the card I made, inspired by Denise's card, using a different stampset "Share a cup".

And then I was inspired to make another card using the scallop circle punches and cups in different colours.

I dont know if you can see but I put crystal effects on the middle cup to make it shiny.

Materials used:

Stampset: share a cup

Punches: 1 3/8" circle, scallop circle.

Big shot machine, embossing folder.

Cardstock: Whisper white, basic black, Pink passion, Tempting turquoise.

Markers and Stazon black ink.

Materials Used:

Stamps: Share a cup, Teeny tiny sentiments.

Ink: kiwi kiss, pumpkin pie, black stazon.

Ribbon: Pumpkin pie grosgrain.

Cardstock: Whsper white, Basic black, Old olive, Pumpkin pie.

Punches: oval scallop punch, large oval, circle scallop and 1 3/8" circle.

Big shot and Perfect Polka dot embossing folder.

Shhh, guess what stampin' up are planning?

Guess what? Stampin' Up! announced last month that our current colour families are getting a renovation ... this wont happen until September 1st.
They are getting rid of some of the less-popular colours, and replacing them with some of our old favourites, as well as some brand new ones! Like any kind of renovation there will be a time of discomfort and wondering what to do until the dust settles...
In the meantime I have sorted out my stamping Up ink pads.
I've found I only have a few that I will miss, and many that I am very happy are to continue on to become new core colours so on the whole I am looking forward to September.

We have nearly 3 months left to enjoy our old favourite colours, And I think it is a good idea that we know which ones are going and what we're keeping, so that by September we will know what we cant live without.
I may keep a few of my favourites for a little while: Pink passion, orchid opulence, kiwi kiss, Mellow moss, creamy caramel and close to cocoa.

Here are the retiring colours: -
http://stampinup.com/au/documents/Fond_Farewell_Colors_AU_NZ_0410.pdf
and  here is what the Colour Families will look like in the new Idea Book and Catalogue:-
New Colour Families.

Its a Tri-Shutter card in metric ....

When ever you see measurements to make these tri -shutter cards there is a really good reason that they are in inches!  The template is not complicated in inches ... 5 1/2" x 12" with scoring at 2,4,8 and 10 inches.
Why when you use a 29.97cm long piece of cardstock does it look so difficult?

Thanks to the lovely Alicia on Tuesday night we made a tri-shutter card. (I embellished it when I got home).

This one is made from a piece of orchid opulence cardstock with squares of Cottage wall Designer series paper and Rich Razzleberry ink.

When you fold it out it looks much bigger than it is ... there are just two cuts made in the centre of the cardstock and you fold the three sticky-out bits in different directions and add a few stamped butterflies, ribbon, brads and a sentiment to decorate.

Here it is from the centre back view ...I think you write your message on the centre oblong, there.

I am actually quite pleased with the result and it isn't nearly as complicated as it looks.

If you want the measurements just send me an email ... enjoy!

Card Recipe:

Stampsets used: All a flutter $12.95

Happy is from "Organic outlines" $45.95

birthday wishes is from "Pony Party" $25.95.

Cardstock: Orchid opulence

Designer series paper: Cottage Wall.

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Ribbon: Rich Razzleberry polka dot

Filigree brads Clear rhinestone brad.

Square Scallop punch, 1 1/4" circle punch.

Deals of the week 2!

Can the deals get any better? You bet they can.
If you were hoping to buy some Designer Series paper (DSP) for your cardmaking or scrapbooking or just some gorgous gift wrapping papers ... Stampin' Up! have another great deal.
35 - 40% off Selected DSP! Our Designer series paper is also Double sided paper so you get 2 each of 6 double sided designs.

Item No. Page. Description.  Regular Price. Sale Price:
112470  p.132 Haiku Designer Series Paper $16.95
This week only: $10.17

113976 p.132   Pink Flamingo Designer Series Paper $16.95
This week only: $11.02

113992 p.133      Tea Party Designer Series Paper $16.95
This week only: $10.17

 113975  p.133 Raspberry Tart Designer Series Paper $16.95 
This week only: $11.02

114037 p.133 Sweet Slumber Specialty Designer Series Paper $22.95
Now $14.92

Remember - Deals of the week only last until the following Tuesday so email me, or phone, or SMS me
on 0468 877 125 with your order so that I can put them in before the cut off time.
Enjoy!