November Cyberstamp Over

Well I think this will be my final entry regarding the November Cyberstamp. Honestly it was so much fun.

As I said in an earlier post, I was asked, by Tanya Kitto, to present a challenge. Tanya has been instrumental in organising these cyberstamps and chats over the last six months, and it was great to be able to give her a hand.

You can imagine my surprise when I received a parcel from her to say thanks. I was gobsmacked by this sweet little bag she had made for me and filled with some beautifully decorated soap, a covered notepad (with a beautiful personal message on the inside for me) and a cute little post it pad. You wouldn't know but it's already been used.... I just couldn't wait.

This gift was so thoughtful, so this is also my public thank you to Tanya. You are an inspiration to me. Your work is stunning and your commitment to ESAD and ESAD-NING is muchly appreciated.



Okay, so that was a great parcel to receive. And then the mail came.... and low and behold there was this sweet card for me from Carole Stedman for winning her scrapbook challenge. Again here is a public thank you to Carole. Your card has made me like the Upsy Daisy set even more and I have put it on my wish list. Thank you for setting the challenge, I enjoyed pushing myself outside my comfort zone.


Alrighty then. Well I am guessing this will be my last post for November. I can guarantee that I will have a post up by 6am on 1st December 2009. This year I am participating in a 'blog hop'! I will have a post up and at the bottom will be a link to another ESAD members blog and at the bottom of their post there will be another link. There will be about 23 blogs to visit. All of these posts will be showcasing the new product coming out in the Summer Mini on 1st December 2009.

Of course this means that there are only a few days to buy product from the Spring Mini! Boohoo! I am going to miss so much of it!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Almost stampless graduation!

The final challenge for the cyberstamp was an accent challenge. Amy Waters gave us a great tutorial on how to make these gorgeous flowers. Now if you are anything like me, you've looked at the picture and are thinking that I have put the wrong picture with this post.

Well no, I haven't. I just looked at the flower and thought that would make a fantastic laurette ribbon. Now please correct me if I am wrong, with the laurette name....
Tanya Kitto had also put out a challenge to use a rub-on in a project and I thought that I would combine the two challenges together! Are you wondering where I got the "Congrats, Grad!" rub-on from? That's right, it's from the new summer mini.

I was pleased with the final effect of this card and also with everything that I had achieved in one weekend - okay I did finish two projects on the Monday, but overall, these challenges and time frame gave me the incentive to finish a lot of projects. I don't think I have made this many wonderfully diverse things in such short space of time.

Card: Sahara Sand, Bravo Burgundy, Chocolate Chip, Brocade Blue
Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip
Embellishments: Chit Chat Rub-Ons
Stamp Set: Polka Dot Background

Till next time, happy stamping...

Scrapbook page challenge

Well if you know me, you'll know that I am not very confident with scrapbook pages. Actually I think its too big an area for me to deal with. There is a lot of space that needs to be filled.... I don't know how people can just whip up a page in a matter of hours - for me it takes days.

Anyway as I had challenged myself to enter every challenge from the cyberstamp. Carole Stedman set the scrapbook challenge. We had to include three items - photo, title and journalling. Easy I hear you say, then we also had a to include another seven things out of a list of ten. Okay so it helped fill the page, I'll agree. Anyway it took me two nights to plan this in my head and finally on the Monday afternoon (entries had to be in by 8pm) I threw this page together.


As you can imagine, I wasn't overly thrilled with the end result, but decided to enter it anyway. And you'll never believe but I won the challenge! I honestly think it must have been an encouragement award, as there were other great entries.

I also won the scavenger hunt on Sunday and to my surprise, I won the colour challenge as well. You can see my entry here.

Now are you wondering how I made the circles on this page? I used our circle scissors which are coming out in the summer mini on 1st December 2009. I had not used them before and I was so surprised at how simple they were to use. I love the fact that you get to decide the size of your circle, and you can make rings etc.

Okay so you know I wasn't happy with my page! And things like this seem to nag me.... even though the challenge was over and I had won, I still didn't think it was good enough. Suddenly one night it came to me that I should stamp some images from Circle Circus and fill in that wide open empty space that had been taunting me. And here is my stepped up version;



Card: Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point
DSP: Ski Slope
Ribbon: Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain, Real Red 3/4" Polka Dot grosgrain
Punches: Scallop Edge Border, Scallop Circle, 1/2" Circle, 1" circle, 1 3/8" Circle
Embellishments: Flower Fusion, Button Bouquet
Tools: Circle Scissors

Till next time, happy stamping

Cyberstamp Christmas Challenge

So things have been plodding along nicely for me last weekend. I was slowly getting through all the projects. I had made it my personal challenge to try join in EVERY challenge for the weekend. And boy, did I achieve a lot!

Tanya Kitto was in charge of the Christmas card challenge. She decided to ask us to make a Christmas card without using a stamp set designed for Christmas. Although we were allowed to use the greetings from a Christmas stamp set.




I love the Lovely As A Tree stamp set and haven't really had an opportunity to make all the things that I want to with it. I had been meaning to try this shadow look for a little while, so I thought this was a perfect time to try it out. I had to have a couple of goes before I got it right. I didn't have a tutorial or anything, so had to work through this on my own. Finally I came up with the look I was after.

Card: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Punches: 1" Circle, 1/2" Circle
Tools: Heat Gun, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponges
Stamp Sets: Lovely As A Tree, Snow Swirled

Till next time, happy stamping...

One layer card

Here I have made a one layer card, using the Season of Joy stamp set. I just love this set! It first became available in the spring mini last year and I was so glad to see it bought back into the current catalogue this year!


Now if you know this set, you'll realise that it already has a perfectly good Christmas tree in it, which I used here. However I decided to check out it's versatility and I used the flower stamp to build my own tree! This card was so quick to make and you don't need to own 'everything' to be able to make it.

Card: Whisper White
Ink: Summer Sun, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red
Stamp Set: Season of Joy

Till next time, happy stamping...

A stunning bookmark

I know, I know, it's been a couple of days since I last got on here and gave you something new to look at. Well here is the first thing I made on day 2 of the cyberstamp. Jenny Adams gave us a tutorial on how to make these cute little bookmarks. Jenny's bookmark was done in the Christmas theme and was totally stunning. I can't seem to find it on her blog, but maybe she'll put it up there soon.

Anyway I have a wonderful friend who loves to read and I thought this would be a great Christmas present for her.


And one of the nice things about this bookmark, is that it opens and I have left enough space to write a personal message on the inside. Hmmm!!! What will I write? If her husband wrote in it, it would say, 'have you done the dishes yet?' lol. I think I will write something much more pleasant!


Now did you notice to gorgeous butterfly on the front? Have you seen them before? Well probably not, because that's one of the many gorgeous stamp sets that are coming out on the 1st December 2009, and YES it does have a co-ordinating punch. This new punch also co-ordinates with Flight of the Butterfly from the current catalogue. How exciting!!!!

I am excited about all the new products that are coming out on the 1st December in the summer mini catalogue, but it also means a very sad good bye to the spring mini. Have you got everything that you wanted from this mini, because there is only 10 more days to order from this!

Okay, now I have to remember everything I used to make this beautiful bookmark..... here goes;

Card: Lovely Lilac, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla
Ink: Sage Shadow, Pale Plum, Lavender Lace, Perfect Plum
Punches: Scallop Edge, Scallop Circle, Butterfly, 1 3/8" Circle
Ribbon: Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain
Stamp Sets: Organic Grace, Butterfly Prints

Till next time, happy stamping...

3 Brad challenge!

Okay things we going swimmingly beautiful on day 1 of the cyberstamp. Okay I was probably ahead because I had already done my sketch challenge earlier in the week. Then out of nowhere, Tanya Kitto, decided to throw up a surprise challenge. We had to use three brads on a card. Pretty simple really!

Well I decided that I'd rework my sketch a little and turn it on it's side and I came up with this. Can you see my brads??? They are faux brads. Honestly I could have used real ones, but just thought that I'd buck the trend a little. It's that inability to follow directions to the tee, rearing it's head again!


This is a little brighter than cards I normally make - but I think it's cheery!

Card: Bordering Blue, Real Red, Green Galore, Night of Navy and Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Versamark, Green Galore, Summer Sun (marker)
Punches: 1/2" Circle, Curly Label
Embellishments: Crystal Effects
Stamp Sets: Season of Joy, Cute & Curly

Till next time, happy stamping...

Cyverstamp colour challenge

Okay we as promised yesterday, here is the next card from the cyberstamp. Claire Harrison put out a colour challenge. It was a doozy and took me a little while to come to terms with.

The colours were:
Pacific Point
Garden Green
Basic Grey and
Certainly Celery

These are definitely not colours I play with on a regular basis and would never have put them together myself. But I played along and this is my result.


The colours screamed 'MAN' and then I figured the Basic Grey could look like steel, so out came Totally Tools and I attempted to make a interior shed wall. What do you think?

Card: Pacific Point, Certainly Celery, Basic Grey, Garden Green
Ink: Pacific Point
DSP: Garden Green Patterns Pack II (hostess set)
Embellishments: Rich Regal Eyelets (retired)
Stamp Sets: Totally Tool, Sweet Little Sentiments

I hope to be back soon with more from the cyberstamp, but have to go now and prepare for another scavenger hunt!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Cyberstamp Challenge

Hello my friends...

What an exciting week it has been for me! I woke up on Tuesday morning to a lovely email that informed me that my last post was going to 'appear' on the Yahoo Group Late Night Stampers blog finds of the day for 12/11/09. Wow what a compliment! Thank you to Kelly Mayou who 'found' me!

Anyway us funloving gals who belong to the ESAD (Extremely Special Aussie Demonstators) group have been having a cyberstamp this weekend. Yep right now! We have been online and chatted and had a scavenger hunt and had challenges put out. I was asked to put up a sketch challenge which I did today, so I can now show it to you.

So this was my sketch.... my very first - I never really have to put it to paper normally, it's just up in the head..... you wouldn't beleive how many times I scrunch my brain up, like a peice of paper, and try and throw it out...lol! And here is my interpretation! Do you remember me telling you that I can never follow things exactly? Well I couldn't even follow my own sketch! How bad is that? lol.

It has been fascinating to see what others have made using this sketch. They are all very different and beautiful. I have a couple of other things to show you over the next couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled. I didn't want to overwhelm you with it all on one day!

Card: Pale Plum, Lavendar Lace, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Glossy White
Ink: Stazon Black, Stazon White, Versamark, Perfect Plum, Sage Shadow, Pale Plum, Riding Hood Red (re-inker)
Ribbon: Whisper White 3/8" taffeta
Embellishments: Whisper White 5/16" Jumbo Brads, Pewter Build-A-Brad, Button Bouquet, White Gel Pen
Stamp Sets: Fifth Avenue Floral, Always, Always In Bloom Wheel, Think Happy Thoughts

Till next time, happy stamping...

Celebrate Christmas

Well can you believe that it's only 44 days to Christmas???? I certainly can't! If you are anything like me they days just seem to get away from you and suddenly important dates just arrive without much notice. Well it feels that way anyway! As a special help to you I have installed a Countdown to Christmas tree on my side bar, so if you need a bit of a shock feel free to come in and have a look at how many more days have passed.

Well I had a workshop today with some lovely ladies and since we are gearing up for the Christmas season, I thought that I would make a bon bon as a prize for a party game. I have put a dauber and a couple of flowers in as a gift to the winner.


Isn't it just divine? We are having a huge Christmas this year and it appears that I might have to make up about 25 of these. I am just going to go to the $ shop and get some little trinkets to put in. Just another thing to put on my never ending to do list! There isn't really much required to actually make these little beauties!

Card: Very Vanilla, Night of Navy
Ink: Old Olive, Ruby Red
Ribbon: Very Vanilla 1/4" grosgrain
Stamp Set: Season Of Joy

Anyway I hope to be back sooner than last time. I am so excited to be participating in a cyberstamp this weekend and I am even providing a sketch challenge. Yes, you guessed it - I have already got it organised but I can't show you just yet! This is my first challenge so I hope that it goes okay!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Easy Christmas card

Are you shocked like me? Have you suddenly realised that it's November and you haven't started on your christmas cards yet? Well I hadn't really either, so here is card number 1. I am running a christmas card making workshop this month, click here for more details.

I love the Ski Slope DSP, which is only available to end of this month. I know that I normally use DSP as a background filler, but I thought that this gorgeous DSP was begging to be embossed on. It certainly turned out better than I expected.


Card: Not Quite Navy
Ink: Versamark, Not Quite Navy
DSP: Ski Slope
Ribbon: Whisper White Taffeta
Tools: Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy, Silver Embossing Powder
Embellishments: Pretties Kit
Stamp Set: Snow Swirled

Till next time, happy stamping...

I love scallops!

The title gives this post away. It's about scallops and who doesn't love them.? I know I do! I have made this Christmas card using two fantastic scallop punches. Yes, that's right - just two!


It just goes to show that there are many ways to use the same punch. I had seen the medallions before, but it wasn't until I received a card from my secret sister that I worked out how to do it. Her card was so nice that I have cased the layout above.

And here is a close up of the scallop medallion!



If you'd like to make this card at Stamp Club, please check out times on my event calender.

Can you believe that the Oval Scallop in the Spring Mini is going to be gone soon? I don't know how I will cope without it. If you haven't got one already, don't miss out - put your order in today!

SU is such a fantastic company and although we have the spring mini running, they have also introduced a Christmas Gift Giving Guide. They have gifts for Neighbours, gifts for Card Makers, gifts for Scrapbookers, Gifts and Kids and Teens and amazing Stocking Stuffers as well. It certainly sounds like they have everyone covered. To check out the Christmas Gift Giving Guide click here. And as a bonus if you spent AU$85 on product from this guide, you'll receive a FREE Scallop Square - now who wouldn't want one of those? You have until December 15 2009 to take advantage of this offer. I suggest you get in quick and start your Christmas shopping now!

Card: Whisper White, Real Red, Certainly Celery
Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip
DSP: I wish Simply Scrappin
Punches: Scallop Square, Scallop Edge
Stamp Sets: Weathered, Punches Three (hostess set)

Till next time, happy stamping...

An easy gift to post!

Okay it's getting close to Christmas and my attention is turning towards what to do for the grandparents. I am not sure about your family, but our grand kids are adored in ours. Grandma and Nanny are often talking about what the kids have been up to or in the case of my kids chatting to them on the phone, or listening to them read stories. Unfortunately for us we live too far away to be able to spend each Christmas with our extended families. So I thought this year I would case a gift that was given to me by my previous Secret Sister, Dianne Spies.

This is a little brag book - I am sure that given a few weeks in granny's purse it may not look the same and be like that favourite book we all used to read over and over again as kids.


So the picture above is the closed version and below is the fully opened view.

Now as you can see it has three sections and a slip for each one. The sections fold out, so you can put a photo on either side of the slips, holders and one on the red section behind the holders. All in all this little beauty will hold 15 photo's.


This was really easy to make and didn't take very long at all. I love the simplicity of it!

Card: Real Red
Ink: Baja Breeze, Real Red
DSP: Ski Slope
Punches: Eyelet Border, 1" Circle, 1/2" Circle, Round Tab
Ribbon: Whisper White Taffeta
Envelopes: Note card
Stamp Sets: Season Of Joy, Snow Swirled

Till next time, happy stamping...