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

Dear Diary ...

I thought it time I made myself a personalised journal for my up coming dates in 2011... and somewhere to write down what I did and where I was because the memory gets a wee bit cloudy sometimes.
Someone memorable once said:

'If it's not written down it never happened..."

So I pulled out my Idea book and turned to page 94 to CASE (copy and share everything) the note book there.
I pulled out the Love Letter designer paper, (to cut just a few centremetres as a belly band) and just couldn't bear to use just a strip... I wanted to use half the page... And then the ribbon didn't look right down the centre and guess what? It wasn't a case anymore, it became something completly different.

 I used a really cheap student diary ... [Supermarket shelf find] and it comes with a plastic sleave so my stamping and pearls and designer paper are protected for the year.
I guess if I do get tired of it I can whip off the cover and re-cover it (if I get desperate but we know I won't).

Because I used the "Artistic Etchings" Stampset.
The Eiffel Tower, the crown, the keys and the "amour" stamp.

Here's the Recipe:
Student Diary ($2)
Artistic Etchings ($26.95 Clear mounted)
Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede.
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Designer Paper: Love letter ($16.95)
Tools: Paper snips, Sponges, Jewels: Basic Pearls
Small scallop and XL scallop circle punches.
...Now all I need is a book mark and perhaps I could give it some colour with my watercolour crayons.

I'm having a Concord Crush !!!

I am in love with this colour, in some lights it looks purple and in some lights it is blue ... If you are missing

out on a bit of purply-blue in your life this is the one to indulge yourself with.

Why did they call it Concord Crush?

Well there is actually an Iris by the name of Concord Crush ...

I made this card for a friend's birthday and being such a busy time of year I have only just sent it to her... so now I can share it with my blog readers.

You have probably guessed that it is a CASE (copy and share everything) of the card on the front of the main Idea Book and Catalogue 2010-11.

 The trick to making this card is making a sheet of layered textured strips of cardstock and patterned papers.

Some are from "Love Letters" Designer series paper, some have been run through the Big shot with an embossing folder (Elegant lines).

The individual strips are glued together or taped as the case may be. Then the whole piece is run through with the Top note die. 

 The Sentiment 'happy birthday' is from Perfect Punches... great little stampset for all different ocassions.
I've added half back pearl jewels and a paper daisy for embellishment.

 Card Recipe:
Stampset: Perfect Punches. Artistic Etchings.
Cardstock: Concord Crush, Very vanilla, Basic Black and Love letter DSP.
Tools: Large oval punch, Eyelet border punch, Big shot, top note, Elegant lines embossing folder.
Accessories: half backed pearls, paper daisy.

Joy at Christmas with a perfect Bow

 This card would be nice without the bow ... but the bow is the feature.
You hardly even notice the scallop punches in 4 and 6 cms that fit perfectly into each other.
You hardly notice the ornament punch, sponged and stamped with artistic etchings and dotted with rhinestone jewels.

 Its the bow isn't it?
                Its all about that bow... the Love letter patterned paper, carefully sponged around the edges is simply background ... the gorgeous early espresso cardstock, nothing...
Perhaps you notice the Joy at Christmas scallopped stamp because its stamped in Riding hood red... but really -

Its all about the bow!

The Ribbon is Early Espresso striped wide grosgrain.

The gift card purse...

 Every girl loves her handbag ...  or a pretty purse for a special occasion?

Well even if you're not into handbags... this one contains a gift card holder and that's a necessity for Christmas wishes.  

Here is the first one I made out of the stylish "Love Letter" Designer Series patterned paper.

It is simply, some folded patterned paper and a Top note die cut, with ribbon.

My Big shot machine is  amazing for cutting out 4 or 5 of these at once, then I turn it around and run them through again with the "Elegant Lines" Embossing folder for the swirly texture.

 Here is the first purse opened up. There is a place for a gift card on the inside and a panel for writing.

I have stamped the panel inside with the flowers from the Just Believe stampset.

This is one set I am enjoying as it has both words, frames, flowers and I haven't used it nearly enough yet.

On the outside I have punched the oval scallop and the large oval punch in the Love letter patterned paper.

Then stamped "just for you" from the Just Believe stampset.

 It seals with a small dab of Dotto adhesive.

Which is a re-positional or non permanent glue and you can rub it off with your finger if you want to remove it later. 

Would you like me to come over and make one of these at your place?

Simple gift card holder ... perfect for friend's Christmas gift vouchers, cash or why not a gift voucher from Stamping Joy?

Enjoy!

If you want to purchase any of the products demonstrated on my blog just send me an email at: nerida_carter@hotmail.com

or phone/text to place your order: 0468 877 125.

Dasher in Old Olive and Early Espresso

The card above is so simple. Just two pieces of cardstock and three stamps.

It looks fairly simple this way.

If you wish you can dress it up with dazzling diamonds and rhinestones to step it up and get the wow factor.

Dasher has been "rock and rolled" in the old olive and Early espresso ink (but only lightly).

The stamps are:

 Dasher

Heard from the heart

and Elements of Style.

This card uses just two stamps:

Dasher and Curly cute with a background of wheeled swirls and some polka dot patterned paper.

The variations for Dasher are endless...

expect to see a lot more of him between now and December!

Love Letter, Lovely as a tree

I am sharing with you a card we made at a weekend workshop just recently...

We had a lovely few hours stamping and having a gorgeous afternoon tea.

One of the best parts of cardmaking for me is the social aspect and meeting new fun and interesting  people.

The colours used are not your usual red and green but have a traditional feel with the sponging of the very vanilla cardstock edges. It gives a slightly vintage feel and softens the edges of the images.

The patterned paper used is called "Love Letter".

We stamped the "lovely as a tree" in Early Espresso ink and stamped the words from Curly Cute in Ridinghood Red on the vanilla cardstock.

The little piece of ribbon poking out at the top is striped grosgrain in Early Espresso and our star is a Rhinestone jewel.