Featuring Jodene...

Well isn't this a bright little number? This card was made by Jodene, who is a friend from Stampin_Up_In_Oz.

The photo doesn't really show much, but the hippo was cut out and coloured and then Crystal Effects was put over her and her bow has dazzling diamonds on it. It really is just too cute!

If you'd like to know more about this card please contact the artist, so that she knows that she has inspired you!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Featuring my friend Helen!

Today's installment comes from my friend Helen. She doesn't belong to any of the online groups that I do, but she is the person who persuaded me to join Stampin' Up!®. Thanks Helen! I honestly would have met so many wonderful people if Helen hadn't given me the push!

My husband said that this was the favourite crafty thing I received for my birthday - I think it was because of the chocolate!

If you want to know more about this creation of Helen's please email me and I'll forward it onto her.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Featuring Gemma...

Again we have another artist from Stampin_Up_In_Oz.

This gorgeous card was made by Gemma. This card involved two step stamping.... which I have to admit I am too lazy to do! But the effect is wonderful!

Unfortunately I can't find a blog for Gemma, so if you'd like to know more about her card, please email me and I will pass it onto Gemma for you!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Featuring Fiona...

This stunning little piece comes from Fiona. It is so simple in it's design, yet striking!

Fiona is another friend from Stampin_Up_In_Oz. I was privileged to meet Fiona at Convention!


Again no ingredients from me. Please contact the artist to let them know that they have inspired you!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Featuring Diane....

This card was from a friend in Stampin_Up_In_Oz, which is an online group for anyone in Australia who loves Stampin' Up!®. This group of ladies are especially caring as I received a number of cards from them!

Now I am not posting them in any particular order, just the first one that jumps onto the computer screen...LOL!


Again as these are not my cards I will not be putting ingredients lists up. I have searched for a blog for Diane but she doesn't appear to have one. You can email me and I'll contact her if you would like more information.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Haiku Birthday from Carole

Well as you are aware I am involved in a few online stamping groups. One of the things about these is that the ladies are so nice!

I received this card for my birthday from one of the ESAD ladies, Carol Stedman. Wasn't it wonderful of her to send me a card?

I am so excited as I am getting the Scallop Circle die soon and this card is inspiring me!

Anyway as this isn't my card, I am not going to be writing ingredients lists. You get to contact the artist, so that they know that you are inspired by their work.

I will be showcasing all the cards I received for my birthday - aside from the shop bought ones (lol) - over the next couple of weeks.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Cocktails galore!

Well in case you hadn't been paying attention, I turned middle aged this week - well apparently it's middle aged. So I thought I'd throw myself a party. Check out the invitations HERE!

And since I wanted to feel old, I had to have a drink or three and I thought I'd share our selection with you. Firstly we had Margaritas - tart and tangy!

Then we had these yummy (could eat this for dessert) peach mango concoction! Not sure of the technical name!

Then somebody kindly whipped up some Banarama's (which I didn't partake in)

And well here we are near the final drink and I have absolutely no idea what it was! There were actually more drinks throughout the evening but I was too busy having fun to photograph them all!

We did finish the evening off with a liquer coffee and all went home happy little ladies!

Of course, I had to say thanks to my friends for coming to my party and what better way than a wee card! These were quick and simple to make - which was called for after a night of drinking!

Card: Whisper White, Tempting Torquoise, Pixe Pink
Ink: Tempting Torquoise, Pink Passion
Punches: Small Oval, Large Oval
Stamp Sets: Short and Sweet, Cheers Wheel

Till next time, happy stamping...

And the Winners are....

Firstly thank you to everyone who entered my competition. It was nice to have so many positive comments. I wish I could give you all a FREE pass.... but life just doesn't work that way!

Anyway it's my birthday today, so I could think of no better thing to do than announce the winners of this competition! I used my own two personal selectors to pick winners!

Miss 2 picked............................................ Leonie Schroder

Miss 7 picked............................................ Jodene Tripp


Congratulations ladies and I hope you enjoy the course.

Till next time, happy stamping...

I am a Guest Designer!

This is a sticky note: please scroll down for more recent posts.

Hello! Well I've been keeping a little secret! I have been asked to be a Guest Designer on Inkspirations 4U. It's a new online class and this term starts on 15th June 2010.

I am excited to be able to give away two FREE passes to this term. To be in the running to win a pass, leave a comment on my blog, become a follower and email me to let me know that you have fulfilled these requirements. I will draw the winnners on Monday 14th June 2010 at 9.00pm AEST.

For more information or to join click here.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Stuck on Asian Artistry

I am having a little run on Asian Artistry at the moment. Can you tell? I was truly inspired by all the lovely creations at convention. To be honest it hadn't really jumped out at me as a set I had to have!


I think I have now shown you all of the stamps in the Asian Artistry stamp set. Yep, every single one of them. That's how fantastic this hostess set is!


I've used a lot of the same materials to make both of these cards, so I'll list all their ingredients together.

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pacific Point.
DSP: Good Morning Sunshine
Ink: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pacific Point (via blender)
Punches: Wide Oval, Designer Label, Eyelet Border
Tools: Crimper
Stamp Set: Asian Artistry (hostess set)

Don't forget to keep checking out my other website for deals of the week - starting each Wednesday in June.

Till next time, happy stamping...

I'm having a party!

Well it's nearly my birthday and I thought I'd show you the invites I made! I decided that my hubby would never throw me a party, so I'd have to do it myself. We are having a cocktail party, and what better set than, Cheers To You, to build my invite with.


Now I have put a sticker over the actual details - sorry but I don't need any gatecrashers! Although all stamping friends would be welcome!

Here is a close up of the 'drinks'. I stamped the images in basic black and then coloured them using Bold Brights classic inks and a blender pen. It still gave the same colour but not the depth. To make the drinks more bubbly, I mixed up some Dazzling Diamonds and Crystal Effects and painted it on

Aren't they just too cute? And bright and bubbly?

Card: Pink Passion, Yoyo Yellow, Whisper White, Tempting Torquoise
DSP: Kaleidoscope (retired)
Inks: Basic Black, various Bold Brights for colouring
Punch: Scallop Edge, Wide Oval
Stamp Sets: Please Come, Cheers To You

Till next time, happy stamping...

Convention case

While we were at Convention NZ's number 1 demonstrator Jacqueline Pedersen did a demo for us. She used the Asian Artistry hostess set. She whipped this card up in record time and it's sensational. Again I had to come home and quickly case it before it slipped into that memory bank which is overfull and things are falling out the back of!


One of the things I loved about this card was that you don't need to buy lots of equipment to build it. The Asian Artistry set is a hostess set, so you need to get your friends together for a party if you want to own the set to make this card. Email me for more information - catalogue parties available for those that don't live nearby.

Card: Whisper White
DSP: Haiku
Ink: Soft Suede
Markers: Old Olive, Real Red
Ribbon: 3/4" Polka Dot Grosgrain
Stamp Set: Asian Artistry (hostess set)

Till next time, happy stamping...

The one that got away!

Well you know how there is always a card that you saw and wished you had? Well that happened to me at Convention. I was out to dinner with my ESAD buddies and Claire Harrison had these stunning cards. Again I was kicking myself for not taking my swaps to tea - but I really didn't want them to get dirty!

Anyway I prayed that I would run into Claire the next morning and be able to grab one from her then. I did find Claire, however she had run out of swaps already. I was so sad. But the memory of this card was too strong and as soon as I got home, I started badgering Claire to blog her swaps - Hi Claire! Unfortunately for Claire blogger was playing up, so she instead sent me a picture via email - AND the ingredients. Wasn't she a gem?


Anyway I just had to make this card up straight away and here it is. The photo does not do this card any justice. The images are gold embossed and then painted using Crystal Effects and Re-inkers. So there is bling and shine to this card that was too hard to photograph.

I will not put the ingredients up as this is Claire's card and you can ask her for instructions if you would like them. That way she'll know she has inspired you too!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Convention swaps - just a small sample

I know, I know, I've been holding out on you! Honestly I was overwhelmed with the swaps that I received and choosing a few as favourites was near impossible.

First up we have this stunner from Pat Carr (WA). I love this because it emulates where Convention was held. And who doesn't love a little punch art?


Next we have a cute teabag holder by Margaret Hendersen. Margaret didn't have her contact details on this when we swapped but I liked it so much I made sure I got her name. Now Margaret if you have to be reading this and I got your name muddled up, I am so sorry! And please let me know.



This card was fantastic to receive because I got it off this 'nice' lady and instantly loved it, so I thought I'd look at the back to see who the artist was. And then I realised that it was my blog buddy, Andrea Lowcock. Well that just sent me a little crazy and had to introduce myself properly and get the biggest 'real' hug!

Naydene Beaver made the card below and I loved her colour choices and, of course, the butterflies. I really must get this set!

I went out to dinner with my ESAD buddies on the Thursday evening, but forgot to take my swaps. I sat with the lovely Pam Jorgensen and she was handing out swaps and I was praying that they didn't disappear before morning. Needless to say I was privileged to receive this gorgeous butterfly brooch! Isn't she clever?

And sitting beside Pam at dinner was Kathy Faulkner. Kathy was also handing out her swaps. I was silently kicking myself under the table to forgetting to take mine. So on the Friday morning I searched for Kathy and found that she had but a few of these beauties left. I would have to say that this card of Kathy's was the highlight for me!

I must say thanks to everyone who swapped with me! I have so many great ideas and loved the frantic pace of swapping - to give those non convention goers an idea of what it's like, think Wall Street in the 1980's - just CRAZY!

Now I can't find blog links for all of these talented ladies, but if you are out there reading and know of their blogs please contact me so that I can add links to this post.

Till next time, happy stamping...