Sale-a-bration has started...

Such an exciting time of year... children tucked safely back in school, the usual pattern of our days resume and there is time for blogging, stamping, scrapbooking, cardmaking and workshop planning!
It may be the best time to join as a demonstrator with Stampin' up! to get your discounts all year 'round ...

 On the weekend I demoed at my first workshop for the year.

There is nothing more fun than stamping and creating with friends, a lovely afternoon tea and catching up with what we've missed.

On our first card we used the "Fabulous Florets" stampset combined with the Flower garden embossing  folder which makes a quick base for assembling a card on Concord crush.

 We made an elongated sentiment  using the "modern label punch" and the words from the Fabulous Florets stampset... I was intrigued by the quote:

"the earth laughs in flowers"

it is a little controversial as it is attributed to the poet ee.cummings but,

it seems the author is actually Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Correct me if I'm wrong. 

The second card is made using the delicious "Everyday Enchantment" designer series paper.

It coordinates with the Fresh Vintage and the Elegant Elements stampsets.

 (Both FREE from the Sale-a-bration catalogue).

We punched out the patterned papers with a new postage stamp punch - so easy!

Did I mention that I love the colours: Pool Party and Poppy Parade together.

And Lucky Limeade was made to be rock and rolled with Pool party on this stamp.

My calendar is open for February and March workshop bookings...

You can send me a text, email or give me a call to plan an afternoon together with friends.

Nerida on my Mobile: 0468 887 125

Sale-a-bration 2012 starts today!

 Sale-a-bration is one of the most exciting times of the Stampin' Up! year.

Because ...

From 24 January to 31 March everytime you spend $100 (in one transaction) you get to choose a Free stampset, or a free pack of patterned papers or free brads and ribbon bundle!

We love free products and whats more when you and your friends get together for a workshop (that reaches $600) you get to choose another free product...As well as the usual FREE hostess gifts and hostess dollars to spend on anything out of the current catalogues.

Today's card is a lovely simple one which uses some of the pretty "Fresh Vintage" patterned paper and the Fresh vintage stampset.

I have used several different coloured markers direct to the rubber stamp.

I just love Calypso coral and Melon mambo pink together

 with Marina Mist, Pool party and Lucky limeade.

The "Happy Birthday" is stamped in Marina Mist ink and is from the "Perfectly Penned" stampset.

Fabulous Florets

 Fabulous Florets is a stampset on page 14 of the Summer mini catalogue and it forms part of the totally coordinated "Beyond the garden" Product Suite.
I am never quite sure how a card will come together when I make it from scratch...
But if I use products from the same "suite" of products, I atleast get a coordinated image and style that works well together.
I"d probably be a lot more productive if I stamped more and thought less about the whole thing...
but there you go, it all turns out fine in the end.

Card Recipe:
Stampset: Fabulous Florets (set of 6 stamps)
"Flower Garden" Textured Impressions embossing folder.
Cardstock: Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and whisper white.
Ink: Melon Mambo, Island Indigo, Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder.
Tools: Modern label punch, Circle and oval punches, Big shot.

Stamping Joy Sale Table...

I have been cleaning out my shelves of any stamps that I haven't used over the last 6 months...

 And I  found quite a few retired stampsets needing new homes.

 Some of them date back to last year's Sale-a-bration.

Send me an email or post a comment if you want me to set any of these aside for you.

Bliss, clear mount, stampset $20

Punch Bunch, clear mount stampset $20

So Happy for you, clear mount, new $20



Sweet little Sentiments Wood mount, new $20

 

Happy moments, wood mount, new $22



Warm words, wood, new, unmounted $20



Warm words, wood, gently used $15

Bodacious Bouquet, wood, gently used $30

Happy Everything, gently used, wood $15

Wishing you, Peace Hope Love, Wood $25

One of a kind, stampset $20
Boho blossom (whale style) punch $20

Boho Backgrounds, wood, gently used $15

Whimsical words, new, unmounted $20

Fresh cuts, gently used, Wood $20

Punches Three, wood, gently used $15

I can post anywhere ( for the minimal postage fee to you) or we can arrange pick up or delivery if you live locally. These are my private sets and do not form part of any Stampin' Up Special offers.

Saleabration sneak peeks...

 Only a week to go before the Sale- a - bration starts for 2012!

It is the best time of year to buy your stampin up products because you win a FREE stampset, or free  product bundle, for every $100 you spend during Sale abration.

When you host a workshop that totals $600 you get more free stamps, or paper, or brads.

It starts on the 24th of January ...

 Here are two cards I have made using some of the gorgeous designer series paper available FREE this year!

 The patterned paper coordinates with stampsets, which coordinates with brads and the colours all work beautifully together:

Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Peach Parfait, Very vanilla.

Check your diary and lets make a date.

But, keep this quiet, Sale-a-bration doesn't actually start until 24th January ...

Building a scrapbook page.

Scrapbooking is a little different to making cards.

You know that your scrapbook page is going to be kept for some time and may be brought out year after year by family and friends.

I know that a scrapbook page takes a little longer and so I set aside enough time to enjoy the process.

There is the Photo selection time - choosing a picture that evokes an emotion: a moment of pride, excitement, a beautiful photo, or an event to remember!

Next comes the colour matching - to the photo, to the mood, to the season.

Usually it is the fabrics and patterns in the photo that I want to repeat in the background.

Then choosing the products I will use as accents: Sometimes for me it is the latest set of patterned papers or a shiny new product that I want to experiment with. And, sometimes it is just an idea I have, inspired by a magazine, or an image from an advertising catalogue. My favourite are bath, manchester and bedroom catys. 

This one reminds me of pillows or a patchwork quilt.

Often, I like to start small with a 6x6 inch page and build up a full size page from there. 

 Sometimes by the time you add an embellishment and some background stamping, or a title that is enough!

But usually I like to add more than one or two photos to a page and that decides the way the page will look.

I add my date and journalling last ... and sponge around the edge of the white page.

This page is one of my favourites featuring Jessica at the Choral Festival in September.

The singing club sung songs from Mary Poppins and dressed as maids and chimney sweeps.

The fresh vintage patterned papers and the orangey reds in the embellishments match the cute little aprons they wore.

a CASE of the Catalogue!

Only a few weeks left of the holidays ... I have been neglecting my blog, so sorry - am having a lovely family and friend time, doing some scrapbooking and card making, just making up the days as they come along.

Now just before Christmas I was flipping through the main Stampin' Up! catalogue and remembered how much I liked this box and tag.

Now I had bought the two tags die and the Fancy Favour box die with this project in mind -

I hope you like my interpretation of the project on page 145.

 It is more than a gift box as you can keep your pens, scissors, tags and ribbon scraps in it.
Just looks so special covered in the Flirtacious Designer fabric ... I dont think I can give this away, not yet.

I have used the gorgeous Glimmer paper (sponged with Melon Mambo ink).

The 5 petal punch makes a lovely bloom in First Edition paper held together with a Vintage brad in the centre.

 The decorative label "wings" are sprayed with my homemade shimmer paint "mist".

 I have tied the gift tag with a piece of fabric (just torn from the edge of the fat quarter) and tied a key trinket charm to the top.

The "kindness matters" stampset is so beautiful I want to stamp pink and Soft suede butterflies on everything...

 See what you can make with a few big shot dies, some gorgeous fabric and a pretty stampset?
I enjoyed making this box and it is a substantial little trinket holder on my table.
Any questions or thoughts? Leave me a comment below.

Sale-a-bration Sneak Peek

Here is just a quick look at a card I have made with my first Sale-a-bration stampset called Fresh Vintage.
It coordinates with patterned paper which you can get for free when you purchase $100 worth of stampin up products between 24 Jan and 31 March 2012.

  This is a first for Australia. Previously the offerings at Sale-a-bration time were always FREE stamps. Which we love.

And this year for the first time we will be able to get designer Series paper and brads and ribbon as our free product aswell as free stamps.

The flower stamp is my favourite and is gorgeous when you ink it up with markers in Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Lucky Limeade. So pretty!

The Happy Birthday stamp is from the Perfectly Penned stampset and is inked in Marina Mist.

Tools used: Big shot machine, Top note die cut, Two Frames embossing folder and ovals die.

Happy New year and "Thank you"

 For my first post of the year I wanted to wish all my blog readers a very happy 2012 and also say "thank you" for your kind comments, encouragement and for sharing my creative journey with me.

I really do appreciate your comments and thoughts - they let me know that you are there and what kind of things you like to see.

 So here is a virtual

"Thank you"

 card from me to you.

Wishing you a quiet, calm new year with lots of creative surprises!

Card Recipe:

Stampsets: French Foliage, Perfectly Penned

Cardstock: Sahara Sand

Ink: Sahara sand, Soft Suede and Early Espresso

Tools: 6.4cm Circle punch