Peace on Earth...

 Oh Yes, it really is only 7 weeks (and a few days) to Christmas!!!

So I am getting started, in serious, on my Christmas cards.

This one is my new stamp. A single A la Carte stamp called:

Something for Christmas.

 It is so easy to use because you can colour it with Stampin' Write markers and get a pretty coloured panel to put on your cards or tags.
And, everyone can be different, depending on the colours you use.

I have used my in-colour markers:

Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade with some Real Red.

For inspiration I just flipped open the catalogue at page 15 and started to make the card using this stampset.  I wanted to use Lucky Limeade and Island Indigo cardstock.

Then, I cut the white cardstock a bit short and did the

I-meant-it-to-look-like-that style of card.

And I am pretty happy with the cheerful way it came out.

I have Sprinkled the Eyelet border edge with dazzling diamonds on 2-way glue and wrapped it with some Ruffled Lucky Limeade ribbon. The background stamping is The Contemp Christmas bauble.

Perfect and easy!

Jessica's Favourite stampset is:

 

After the school holidays the children's favourite stampset has been named.

It is ..... (drum roll) ...

"Under the Big Top"

 A cute pink dancing bear ... looking suspiciously like a mouse with a pink curly tail.

 A Happy Birthday Seal with balancing birthday cake.

 And, my favourite for sure ...

You're the best and I'm not LION!

Now that Winter is over...

 Let me show you the Winter ATC (Artist Trading Cards) swaps I received from the Crafters Anonymous group. They mostly feature snowy climates and snow flakes and icicles. Quite a Christmassy theme going on here. Lots of shiny dazzling diamond glitter favoured by some of our New Zealand neighbours.

 I like this simple silver on white on white snow flake. Will inspire me to simple Christmas cards this year.
Artist is Dee Sturgeon.

 Two of my favourite stampsets: Lovely as a tree, and Welcome Christmas.
Artist: Deb Spiejers.

 Watercoloured snowmen and sandy white snow by Artist: Bev Poultney.

I just adore the Cradle Mountain masking and snow flake.
Artist: Rebekah Kaberry, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania.
Very soon, I will show you the Spring ATCs I have made that were posted today.

Ribbons and a baby card

I still have some shares left in my ribbon share special.
Did you like the seam binding ribbons? But, didn't want to buy a whole roll?
At $24 for a share of the Seam binding ribbons (in 7 pretty colours that work beautifully for Christmas)... your bows will be luscious and silky for every style of card.

 The second Special offer is a share of the Ruffled in colour ribbons.
At $25 for 2.2metres of 5 different colours - you will have a ribbon that matches all the new in-colours in the new catalogue!

 And while we are on Specials...
This cute Congratulations card for a new baby has been made with the Stockings punch(new $33.95).
To turn it into a pair of socks I have trimmed the length down and sponged the toes and top to look like a pretty pair of baby socks or booties.

 The Pool Party ribbon is attached with about 5 glue dots and folded back and forth for a frilly edge.
 Pool party looks a very soft baby blue when used with white on a small square card.

 
 If you were hoping to get this stampset and or punch before the Summer mini catalogue comes out you only have until the end of the week. After then you will have to wait 'til 1 December to order.

The ruffled ribbons are available now, just send me an email to get your share.

Or buy both shares for just over cost price $42.

A case of jewelry and bling.

It has been a busy busy few weeks ...
I've been to Canberra and saw the Queen (not),
 I did see Tara Moss the UNICEF ambassador for Breastfeeding, crime writer, mother and model, and Suzanne Colson and Peter Hartmann (amazing people doing amazing stuff).
But besides all that I am preparing for the School Fete by "cooking" Coconut Ice by the slab,
cleaning out the cupboards of old toys and clothes...
and sneaking peeks at the new Summer mini catalogue!
And making a bit of Stampin' up jewellery CASEd from the talented Denielle B. (I hear she gave a set of jewellery to Shelli Gardner - Stampin' up CEO for her birthday).

 My pendant is a simple arrangement of Cherry cobbler Cardstock, a piece of Designer series patterned paper, a layer of Crystal effects glue and a Bevelled windowpane, with a piece of seam binding ribbon sandwiched between the layers for a loop to clip the Rhinestone brad around.

The little one I gave away as a Thank you gift and now have to make one for my daughter as she thought it was for her, of course she did. 

 The crystal effects takes at least an hour to dry (best to leave it overnight) and then its a good idea to put a lacquered layer of crystal effects on the back to protect the cardstock against your skin.

The patterned paper is from the Love notes DSP... it retired in September but I am thinking I will be making these with either some fabric or patterned paper from the new catalogue in my next batch.

Email me at nerida if you would like more detailed instructions.

Nerida_carter@hotmail.com

Featured Products:

Bevelled Windowpanes - page 142, 12 pieces $16.95 

Crystal effects lacquer adhesive $11.95

Filigree designer brads (16) $11.25

Clear Rhinestone brads (84) $19.95

Seam binding ribbon (9.15m) $12.95

Zoo review Giraffe

Is this a classic masculine card?

 Nice earthy colours: Early Espresso, soft suede and naturals ivory cardstock with some pumpkin coloured ink and sponged edges.

The naturals ivory cardstock is very easy to water colour on. I used soft suede ink for the outline then filled in the spots with my aqua painter dipped in Pumpkin pie ink.

 A big First Edition punched circle (nothing fussy) and a masculine crumb cake Seam binding bow at the bottom. Does it pass the bloke test do you think?

The sentiment is kind of blokish too - Happy Day to you! Stamped on the decorative label punch.

Fun Flower and a Pocketful of Posies

 The Fun flower die is just the best Big shot die to come out this year!

You have seen me cut it in fabric, in cardstock and in Designer series paper.

This one is using the Pocket ful of Posies Patterned Paper. 

 We stamped the centre flower with Concord Crush and wisteria wonder ink.
The Simply Soft stampset is a hostess gift you can receive when you have a workshop that reaches $300 in sales. We have two-step stamped the outline then stamped the petals slightly off set.

The lucky limeade layer has been embossed with the new embossing folder interestingly enough its called stripes.

A bit of sponging on the petals, some ribbon leaves and a sentiment from Friendly Phrases.

A pretty birthday card.

Christmas is on its way...

On the weekend we made some cards with a great bunch of ladies.

Have you started on your homemade Christmas cards yet?

This first card shows you dont have to use traditional Chrissy colours or christmas papers.

Use what ever you like and how elegant is this one with the Morning Mocha Specialty paper?

 The perfect bow is centre to this card in 1/8 of an inch wide tafetta ribbon.

It wraps around a piece of spotted scallop ribbon border punch !!!

Stampsets used: Welcome Christmas and Teeny Tiny sentiments.

Ink: Basic Black and Real Red.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla and Basic Black.

Specialty Paper: Mocha Morning

Punches: Word Window, 2 1/2" Circle punch.

But its all about the Glass glitter on the tree.

Held on with a few dots of two way glue pen.

This really is a quick and easy card to make and looks like a snow globe dont you think?

In colour butterflies

 Today's card features all five of the new stampin' Up in colours:

Island Indigo, Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade.

Using my Embossing folders and the big shot machine I have textured each of the cardstocks.

Square lattice, Polka dots, petals a plenty and vintage wall paper.

The stamped butterfly and sentiment is from Creative Elements.

I Can't wait to receive my ruffled ribbons in these five exciting colours this week. . .

I love colour and texture together!

Zoo Review

 Card Recipe:

Stampsets: Zoo Review, friendly phrases.

Cardstock: River Rock, Soft suede, Naturals Ivory, 

First Edition DSP.

Ink: Soft suede

Circle punches:2 1/2" and 1 3/4"

Decorative label punch

Crumb cake Seam binding ribbon, sponge.

 I simply stamped the Zebra in Soft Suede ink and then used my aquapainter to "colour" in the stripes.

 I am loving the Seam binding ribbon in Crumb Cake and with a little bit of glue on the ribbon you can easily fold it and get this lovely ruffled look.

 Being School holidays Jessica has made her own card.

She used the Penguin image from Zoo review and then water coloured the penquin in pretty in pink.

Gift card in Poppy Parade and Calypso Coral

Gift cards are a great idea for a creative friend and why not wrap it in a pretty card?

On the inside there is a simple pocket to slip your Gift card or Gift Certificate (available from Stamping Joy !)

A great Birthday or Christmas gift when you are not quite sure what's on your best friend's wish list... or why not suggest it to some one in your family.

 Card Recipe:

Stampsets: Triple Treat flower, Happiest Birthday Wishes.

Punches: Five petal punch,  Fancy Flower punch,
1/2" circle punch,

Dotted Scallop ribbon border punch.

Cardstock: Poppy Parade, Calypso coral and whisper white.

Ink: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral and Daffodil Delight.

Designer Series Paper: Pocketful of Posies.

Big shot, Sizzlit Lots of tags die.

 On the inside I have stamped the Elements of style swirl in matching colours.

A rhinestone jewell completes the centre of the flower and die cut frame.