Pay by the Month Big shot club

Many of you have expressed the desire (lets call it a NEED) to have the big shot machine.

But it is a big jolt to the budget in one go.

So the solution I've come up with is this:

The Pay by the month "Big shot" Club!

How does it work?

You pay 4 payments of $50 (Total of $200) over 4 months and on the 3rd month you recieve your big shot machine delivered to your door.

On the 4th month you recieve a Textured Impressions Embossing folder (valued at $15.95) of your choice plus a Sizzlet Buttons die (valued at $9.95).

The total you will pay is $200.00

This includes: Big shot Die cutting machine $179.95

1xTextured impressions Embossing folder $15.95

1x Sizzlit die Buttons $9.95

Cost of Shipping:  $10.30

Total value:            $216.15

You pay only $200 (4 monthly payments of $50 )

Contact me by email: nerida_carter@hotmail.com and join the big shot club today!

Already have a big shot machine: Ask me about the Big shot Accessories club.

Red daisy "Every Moment" card

Sharing another card that we made with the "Every Moment" stampset (at Regional training).
It is stamped in black stazon ink, water coloured with Riding Hood Red ink and a touch of Old Olive for the stem.
Then the highlighting is done with the signo white gel pen (it looks like sunlight glinting off the petals).

We made the grass using the scallop border punch:
Punch it once then slide the punch a smidgen to the right and punch again so you cut the grass in uneven half pointy bits... I know more pictures, less talk...
But don't you love that Old Olive thin taffeta ribbon?
 My sentiment is stamped on a circle of velum to give a transparent "moon" behind the daisy.
      And we stamped the front and back of the envelope too.

Card Recipe:
Stampset: Every Moment. (Page72) $31.95 wood, $25.95 clear mounted.

Baja Breeze textured cardstock; (7.6x15.2cm) folded in half.
Old Olive cardstock, water colour paper and velum paper.
Ink:Daffodil delight, Riding Hood Red, stazOn Jet black,
White uniball signo gel pen.
Accessories:
Mini white square envelope
Old Olive taffeta 1/8" ribbon,
Pearl basic jewels, Paper snips, Bone folder,
Aquapainter,  scallop edge punch,
1 3/4" circle punch
Stamp-a-ma-jig.

How to tie the Easy Perfect Ribbon bow...

I know ribbon can be scary .... Ask a group of people to tie a knot in a strip of ribbon - you will get all kinds of out comes. Some people will give up before they start and say can you do it for me?
There's the "reef" knot (you know: right over left, left over right)...and granny knots.
I showed you recently my no-knot-bow... well now the latest challenge is here for you.
The perfect ribbon bow. Its ok, stop hyperventilating ... instructions follow:
Step1. Take a piece of ribbon and loop it over your two fingers of your Left hand.
You have a short end in front and a long end behind.

Step 2.  Wrap the long end up over your thumb and poke it through the gap between your first and second fingers.

 Step 3. Pull the long end through and to the right (are you with me so far?)

 Step 4. Bring the long end up and through the loop held open by your thumb.

 Step 5.  Pull the long end tight so that it ties a knot around the central ribbon loop.

 Step 6. Pull the end tightly and ease your two fingers apart to even out the loops of the bow and slowly slip it off your two fingers.

 Step 7. Turn it over ... you have just made the perfect ribbon bow.

 So easy and in just seconds....

Now you can glue dot it to the front of your project.
Isn't that the quickest, easiest bow you've ever seen?

Every Moment card ... when we see

 "When we see with our hearts,

every moment is the most wonderful gift in the world."

That's the sentiment on the first card we made in our make and take at Regional training.
We watercoloured the yellow daisies (it was fairly quick) and we talked and shared ink and tools...

 What do you think of this one?
 The daisies are on stampin' up water colour paper, stamped with black stazon.
We tore the edge of the water colour paper - always a great sylish look!

The second daisy is masked, so that the other daisies appear to sit behind it. Then accented with a small half backed pearl.
And to finish it off we spattered it with soft suede ink using a Colour spritzer tool.

All products used are Stampin up supplies:

Watercolour paper 10.5 x8cm

Old Olive, very vanilla and soft suede (textured cardstock)

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, soft suede, Jet Black StazOn and a soft suede marker.

Daffodil Delight 3/8" taffeta ribbon,Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Pearl basic Jewels, Clip assortment, Aqua painter, colour spritzer tool, Scallop edge border punch, paper snips and Stamp-a-ma-jig.

A CASE of Teneale Williams - The "Secret Slider Card"

Tenealle Williams presented a Workshop WOW card at Regional training.
I love cards that DO something! And this one is very clever ...
The front has a punched out shape so that you can see an image through the window and when you open it a completely different image is in the window!

 My card uses Concord Crush and Marina Mist cardstock and inks. From the front of the card you can see the circle flower from "Just Believe" through the scallop circle.

 The card is designed that when you open it, the words appear in the window from a secret sliding panel in the back... its so clever!

 The card is made with only 3 layers (true).

 Don't you love that Marina Mist satin ribbon? I have recently found a ribbon tying tutorial using a piece of plastic template that gives you a neat bow like this one every time.
Teneale showed us up on stage a way to tie one 'round your fingers (a magic trick no less).

I think I've got it figured out...

The Topnote Gift Voucher card

A friend recently had 12 gift card vouchers she needed to make... so we came up with a cute little solution using the Top note die - making it into a  gift card holder.

The Big shot machine makes cutting these out so simple. You get the die cut shape and the stitching detail perforation in the same die cut. The Top note is an exclusive die cut that is only available throught Stampin' Up.

 For variety I used a few different textured embossing folders: Petals a plenty, Perfect Polka dot and then I cut out a few more using a new embossing folder from the Summer mini called Square lattice. 

***

 I like to play with a variety of punches and just by changing the stampset and orientation you can make them all slightly different. On the next one I cut out an ornament punch, tied it with the Mistle toe taffeta ribbon and added some sponging.

I have stuck to Old olive and whisper white and used the Joy of Christmas stampset with the words from Winter Post stampset for a different look again.

Different card ...same ideas, I have daubed the tree and sentiment with shimmer paint.
It makes the Very vanilla cardstock look quite pearl-escent. (I think that's a word).

 Open the card and you will find that I have fitted my "gift card" into the inside with a slit punch... You can also see the ribbon poking through the two holes I punched in the front.

 I love how the texture on the inside is the reverse of the front but gives quite a different effect.

Gift card Recipe:
Cardstock in Real Red, Whisper white and Always Artichoke.
Big shot machine, Top note die, Textured embossing folders.
Christmas stampsets: Season of Joy, Delightful decorations, Winter Post.
Circle punches: 3/4", the 1" and 1 1/4" circles.
Designer Label punch, Curly label punch (for layering)
Slit punch (now retired)
Ornament punch, and Mistletoe ribbon bundle (only on offer until 30 November). 

Idea swaps - Regional training

One of the fun things to do at Regional training is to meet other Demos and swap ideas.
Most Demos take with them somewhere between 15-30 swap cards to share.
It is a great conversation starter to discuss techniques, styles and ideas while making contact and sometimes new friends.
Here are the cards I took with me to Regional training.

 And next are some of the swaps I brought home with me: there was such a variety of styles and ideas from some really talented ladies. Time was against me this year I didnt nearly get around to as many people as I'd have liked.

 And check out the gorgeous earings that Denielle Bernauer made! she's a very crafty artistic woman this one: earings, quilting, hair she does it all. I can't wait to start wearing my new Stampin up earings.

 And Karen Cummings had these delightful chocolate coin decorations made with the Artistic Etchings crown and a circle of Cherry Cobbler cardstock dotted with crystal effects. What a great idea for the kids to hang on the Christmas tree or hand out to friends on the last week of school.

 Cherry Cobbler has been a favourite colour this Christmas and I really like this classic card by Gemma Hall.
She has used the Jolly Holiday DSP and clear rhinestones.
Felicity made the next card in Crumb cake and Wild wasabi using the woodland DSP and clear emossing I love all the textures on this card.

Barbara Laine made this vintage style card with Artistic Etchings - it features some lovely distressing on the Newsprint DSP.

Here is a swap from Tennielle she used the Green house gala DSP and sponged every layer. I love the dazzling diamonds on the sticky strip and the Merry Christmas.

And now to get crafting myself to finish off the make and takes from the day.

And, last night i had a go at making a Secret Slider card ... show you that soon.

Regional training Sydney display boards.

Regional training is a great day (not only for the morning tea and lunch), which were really special but for me its mostly about the exchanging of ideas and learning new ways to use our stamps, tools and accessories.

Here's a photo of another of the display boards.

All the cards and scrap pages and 3D items on here were made with the same stampset showing how versatile one stampset can be.

 One of the presentations was full of projects that you could make using the basic tools that you get with your starter kit.  We learned how to make some cool new boxes, folded cards, masking, the water spot technique and vintage style using spritz spray and lots of different things to do with shimmer paint and sponge daubers.
So much to remember, fortunately I took notes and lots of photos.

Not to mention the amazing Tenneale Williams who demonstrated a Work shop Wow card that just has to be seen to be believed.... I will be trying this one out for sure and will share them with you, because I know you will want to make them too.
Tomorrow I promise to share the swaps that I made and some of the best swaps I received.
So, until tomorrow then.

PPA69 - Wrapping it up with Ribbon

At Pals Paper Arts the challenge is to:

Use ribbon or fabric on your card this week.  Taffeta, satin, organza or twill, ribbon is a perfect finishing touch!  It’s an Elements of Style week so I chose a card thats Clean And Simple to showcase the ribbon detail. 

There are so many ways to use ribbon on a card but I like the simple effect of a simple bow or a single wrap of wide ribbon. In my card for this week (you may have seen this at a work shop recently) I have used a taffeta chocolate chip ribbon tied in a simple bow on a strip of Early Espresso cardstock.

See how others have used ribbon this week at PPA69

                                          ***********************************

 You know how much I love ribbon: it's on almost every project as part of my colour palette.

What can you use it for?

 To hold a pen on a desk calendar (wide striped ribbon is best for this). 

 As a no - knot - bow on a pink and pretty card in whisper white taffeta ribbon.

 Its perfect to tie around a gift or keep a note pad closed. Satin is just so soft and superb to tie with:-

 Then you can ruffle it by pulling a thread from the middle and gathering it up to make a frill.

 Better still at this time of year, tying up a Christmas bauble is just the thing with thin red taffeta edged with white.

 My favourite for this week is the top note gift card holder .... punch two holes with your Crop-a-dile and thread your Mistletoe white stitched ribbon through and tie a neat knot at the front.
(there's still time to get some of this, plus the Old olive tafetta ribbon, striped wide grosgrain in Rididng hood red and spotted real red ribbon too, but there is only one week left before this offer ends).

 And just to make an even number there is the very simple wide striped ribbon that I am loving atm.

Just wrap it round once and place a paper daisy on top.

Regional training day, Sydney

We shared, we were inspired and we created!

What more could a group of Paper crafting women want?

It's Sunday afternoon, and I thought while it's quiet I'd upload a few photos of the Regional training day we enjoyed at the Soffitel Wentworth in Sydney on Saturday.

 Here are some of the Inksomniac's team: Denielle, Tennille, Linda and Nerida (that's me)... we got there just in time for coffee,  delicious pastries, and a quick chat before the day started.

We sat down at our tables for the general session. 

These are the ladies I spent the day with. You can see bits of our make and take projects scattered around the table. That is one of the best parts about training days: getting to make new cards, scrap pages, and  projects with a group of like minded women as passionate about stamping as you are.
The day went so fast with presentations by some very creative Australian demos and SU staff. Stampin' Up send over their training personnel to demonstrate new products, techniques and get us all inspired...

 At the end of the sessions the projects demonstrated go up on display boards so we can photograph them and ooh and ahh and wow over the art work that we saw created in vivid colour on the big screens during the demonstration and training.

You just have to be there to appreciate the creativity and energy that so many women inspire.
Some demos take guests with them, so ask me next time there's a stampin up event if you'd like to come along.

 You can see from the display boards we were treated to a vast array of new techniques, ideas and ways to use our stampin' up tools.
We received a new stampset that is available in the current catalogue: Every Moment.
It is perfectly designed for watercolouring so that is what we did for our make and takes. We had four projects to make and take home with us. So I have a heap of new ideas to experiment with for the upcoming Summer mini launch.
   I have yet to photograph my swaps... what I gave and what I received.
In the meantime you can pop over to Felicity's blog and see her gorgeous photos of the day.

I had such a lovely day on Saturday, Stampin' Up is a great business to be involved in plus I caught up with friends that I haven't seen since the last stampin' up convention and made a few new ones too.