Theresa's 2nd card and gift for March

Well as you probably are aware, I had to send a little gift each month to my Secret Sister... and sometimes it doesn't matter what the gift is, as the wrapping is just so much fun! I decided to make a 2-5-7-10 box for Theresa. Again this is a tease,as I used that gorgeous Sale-A-Brations set, Sweet Summer.

I got the idea to hang hearts from the branch from Tenealle Williams.... I love her work, but haven't totally cased this card at all... actually it's so different that I am not sure you'd even recognise that I was inspired by Tenealle.

I would just like to clarify at this moment, that althought I wouldn't pick 'oranges' as a colour to use myself, I truly enjoyed being pushed out of my comfort zone and I actually liked the items I made. They were so fun and funky and happy too!

Card: Real Red, Tempting Torquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red, Tempting Torquoise, Pumpkin Pie
Ribbon: 1/4" Tempting Torquoise Grosgrain (retired)
Punches: Heart to Heart, Scallop Border, Double Rectangle (retired)
Embellishments: Torquoise Rhinestones - Non-SU
Stamp Sets: Sweet Summer (Sale-A-Bration), Friendly Words Roller

Till next time, happy stamping...

Final card for March for Genevra

I am so sorry for being absent for the last week. I have been focusing on other things at the moment and haven't had any time to create or blog :-( Quite sad really. Luckily for you, I haven't shown you everything, I made for my Secret Sisters in the last rounds.

I had really wanted to try out the masking technique to make a garden of roses (like they ever sit like this in a garden.... what was I thinking?) Anyway, I tried to create something unusual and I guess you could say that I did. I did actually like this card, however photographing it was a little difficult. I had a couple of the flower heads coloured twice and raised up on Dimensionals. And since I don't trust myself with a brayer, I chose to colour the sky and foreground using sponge daubers..... I must make a promise to myself to practice with my brayer! Genevra was kind enough to say it was lovely, even with my misgivings on my skills.

The inside and envelope of this card were also decorated too!

Card: Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Blushing Bride, Garden Green, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue, Tempting Torquoise, Not Quite Navy
Ribbon: 1/4" Old Olive Grosgrain
Punch: Word Window, Small Oval, Large Oval
Stamp sets: Happiness Shared, Just Believe

Till next time, happy stamping...

A little punch art!

Over at Inkspirations 4U, we have been given this lovely image to inspire us.


Now, I have been meaning to try a little punch art for a while and this just encouraged me to finally do it! Kinda cute, I think!



Card: Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Punches: 1' Circle, Wide Oval, Large Oval, Modern Label, Scallop Circle, Spiral, Slot (retired)
Tools: Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder
Embellishments: Toggle Eye's - non SU
Stamp Set: Create A Cupcake

Till next time, happy stamping...

Genevra's 1st Installment for March

Today I am going to show you what I made for Genevra for her first instalment for March.

Firstly I made this of so cute box from the Milk Carton Big Shot die. It was a tutorial from Spring and Easter Inkspirations session - now closed.....by Martha Lucia Gomez. She is just so talented...

Anyway this cute little box holds a standard wheel just beautifully and since Genevra had said that the Take A Sip roller was on her wish list, I thought I'd made the card around that.... At that time, I didn't have many 'cup' stamp sets and although I really wanted to use the roller, I didn't think that it was acceptable to use and then gift it.... so flourishes came into play..

The flowers on the top of the box are from the Pretties Kit and I used my brayer and Classic Ink Pads to colour them.

Card: Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Cherry Cobbler, Versamark
Ribbon: 5/8" Chocolate Chip Grosgrain (retired)
Punches: Pinking Hearts Border
Embellishments: Pretties Kit Flowers and Pearl
Tools: Big Shot, Milk Carton Die
Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs, Pun Fun, Baroque Border Wheel

Now although you can't get this tutorial anymore, there is a Summer Session of Inkspirations 4U that you may be interested joining. Click here to find out more!

Till next time, happy stamping...

1st card for March for Theresa

Okay now this post is a bit of a tease.... because you can't get this stamp set anymore ! :-( It was a Sale-A-Bration stamp set called Sweet Summer, which I took ages to warm to and now miss so much.

It was about this time, that I started making totally different gifts for my Secret Sisters, after all they are two very different people.

This card was made using colours that surrounded Blueberry Crisp DSP, as Theresa had indicated that she liked it - I was secretly glad to be away from Pumpkin Pie....lol!

Card: Sahara Sand, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Certainly Celery, Daffodil Delight
DSP: Blueberry Crisp
Ribbon: 5/8" Double Striped Pacific Point Grosgrain (retired)
Embellishments: Circle Ice Rhinestones
Stamp Sets: Curly Cute, Sweet Summer (retired - SAB)

Till next time, happy stamping...

A Blatant Case...

Okay, so these were the gifts and cards I made for my Secret Sisters, Theresa and Genevra.


They each received a lovely card and a Fantasy or Stepper Box filled with ribbon and embellishments. I had received one (click here to see) from my Secret Sister, Nikki Stalker, in November 2009 and had been meaning to make one ever since. They look fabulous and aren't really that tricky to make.


I used up some of my Jolly Holiday DSP... and who would have thought that it was Christmas related in these pics???? Gotta love the all roundedness of this DSP!

Okay it was months since I made these, so I'll have to try and guess what I used....lol!

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive
DSP: Jolly Holiday
Punches: Scallop Square, Scallop Trim Border, Scallop Circle, Modern Label, 1/2" Circle
Ribbon: 5/8" Very Vanilla Satin
Embellishments: Build A Brad
Stamp Sets: Circle Circus, Cute By The Inch (hostess set), Just Believe

Till next time, happy stamping...

Two SS - One layout!

Well, I know a little over a week ago, I promised to show you more of what I created for my Secret Sisters.... and I've been slack! But here is the actual first cards that I made for them. As you can see I have used the same layout for the card front...

...but different colours and stamp sets give a totally different look! The first one was for Theresa, who loves Pumpkin Pie (thanks for challenging me to the limit)! The second card was for Genevra! I personally prefer the striking boldness of the second card, although I think it might have been a bit too striking for Genevra.


First Card

Card: Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie
Ribbon: 1/4" Old Olive Grosgrain
Embellishments: Circle Ice Rhinestones
Stamp Set: Cottage Garden

Second Card

Card: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler
Ribbon: 5/8" Black Satin
Embellishments: Rhinestone Jewels
Stamp Sets: Elements of Style, Happiness Shared

Till next time, happy stamping...

I don't really like orange at all!

Oh boy.... this going to be the third post for today..... Can you believe it? I've actually so much to show you, however I will try and space it out... but I want to show you this NOW....lol!

I find the Stamping 411 sketches just speak to me, although I haven't had an opportunity to do one for a couple of weeks. Today I spotted this one and knew that I'd have to team it up with...


..this oh so challenging colour challenge from Inkspirations 4U.... eeew! I so don't like orange.... but I thought I might be able to work with on this occasion....lol!

So this is what I created.


I really enjoyed colouring my new Morning Cup images in. And yes I did stick with the colours above..... they just soften up a lot when picked up from the lid with a blender pen. I also used the markers for some direct colouring too! I was a wee bit naughty and used some Soft Suede to create shadows under the cup.... should I be disqualified???

Card: Basic Black, Tango Tangerine, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Tango Tangerine, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede
Punches: Scallop Trim Border, Scallop Trim Corner, Medium Jewellery
Ribbon: 5/8" Basic Black Satin
Embellishments: Basic Black brads
Stamp Set: Morning Cup

Till next time, happy stamping...

Unconvention Sketch

Well as I explained in an earlier post, we are having a virtual convention on ESAD for those of us who cannot attend the real thing. In order to share the load of organising, I was nominated to do a sketch challenge. So this is my sketch.
I was very good and designed the sketch first and then made a card... although it may have been easier to do it the other way around.

My initial thought was to have butterflies on the three half circles down the side... but again my logical and creative sides of my brain were not communicating.


Card: Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Ink: Stazon Black, Blushing Bride, Peach Parfair, Soft Suede, Wild Wasabi, Certainly Celery, Pretty In Pink
DSP: Lap of Luxury
Punches: 1 3/8" Circle, 1 3/4" Circle
Ribbon: 5/8" Victoria Lace
Embellishments: Pearls, Regals Flower Brads
Stamp Set: Elements of Style

Till next time, happy stamping...

If you'd like to play along, I'd love to see your cards or scrap page.... Please link to Mr Linky below.

Getting ready early!

I've been trying to get on to blog this week and there have been difficulties with Blogger... so I apologise if you have been wondering what has happened. I hope they have fixed it for a little while. I know that they deleted all posts that were put up from Wednesday this week... but luckily I hadn't put any up.

Anyhow onto some more interesting things. Today I am going to show you this cute Fathers Day wallet or card.... it certainly looks like a card on the front.


Yet when you open the inside you can see it's a wallet.... not I just have to go and find some gift cards that hubby might like....

This was designed by the lovely Rosa Vazquez for Inkspirations 4U summer session. I chose to use monochromatic colours as we had a colour challenge on ESAD (click here for more details) for Unconvention for those of us who couldn't make it to the real convention. I also participated in the LNS challenge to create something for Fathers Day.

Card: Night of Navy, Baja Breeze, Ballet Blue, Pacific Point
Ink: Night of Navy
DSP: Blueberry Crisp
Punches: Scallop Edge Border, Large Star, Small Star (retired)
Stamp Set: Occasional Greetings

Till next time, happy stamping...

First Challenge entry for Inkspirations 4U Summer session

Well I guess the title gives it away.... but in case you didn't read it. Inkspirations 4U Summer session is now open.... Yippee! If you haven't enrolled, I suggest that you ask your kids or hubby to quickly sign you up today as a Mothers Day Gift....lol!

Anyway here is our first colour challenge.

And here is my meagre offering. These aren't really colours I would normally work with and I initially thought that something baby would work and then ended up with this..... I really need to work on getting the left and right sides of my brain to work together....lol!


Card: Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz
Ink: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Stazon Black
Ribbon: 5/8" Victoria Lace
Embellishments: Flower Brads, Pearls
Tools: Big Shot, Elegant Bouquet
Stamp Sets: Happiness Shared, Curly Cute

Till next time, happy stamping...

Happy Mothers Day to all!

Hi all... Just a quick one today, since I should be spending time with family...lol!

While my sisters were here with their new borns, I took the opportunity to make them their first mothers day cards. I used our Classic Ink Pads, as the ink is water based and didn't hurt their precious skin.

For the front of the card I inked up their feet and attempted to get them to put them on the paper. It was great as these babies were 10 and 13 weeks old and not very co-operative!



On the inside I inked up their little hands and made it appear like they were holding Mum's heart. As you can see by the images, they weren't liking the process much. I will clear up that I don't have a neice with six fingers and a thumb - she just double stamped.

Card: Ballet Blue (retired), Pixie Pink (retired), Whisper White
Ink: Ballet Blue (retired), Pixie Pink (retired)
Punch: Full Heart
Tools: Big Shot, Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder
Stamp Set: Occasional Greetings

Till next time, happy stamping...

Secret Sister Birthday surprise!

I can finally come clean and show you some of the items I have been making over the last few months. This is because I have been 'revealed' to my Secret Sisters. So first up we have this set I made up for Theresa Kamp who was my SS from Stampin Up In Oz.

It was her birthday in February, so I made her an extra gift and here is the card. This was a case from Marelle Taylor.


Secondly I made her a little cupcake decorating kit. I purchased some Betty Crocker icing and made this cute box to hold it all. I even included cupcake toppers. Isn't it just too cute! This box was one of the many wonderful tutorials that was available in the Inkspirations 4U Valentines and Birthday session. It was designed by the lovely Madeline Morcelo.

Card: Tempting Torquoise, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Torquoise, Real Red, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie
DSP: Sweet and Sour
Ribbon: 5/8" So Saffron Grosgrain (retired)
Punches: Scallop Oval, Medium Oval
Embellishments: Circle Ice Rhinestone Brads
Tools: Big Shot, Polka Dot embossing folderStamp Sets: Crazy For Cupcakes, Birthday Bakery (hostess), Well Scripted (retired), Party This Way

Come back soon as I have three months worth of items to show you

Till next time, happy stamping...

Winners announced

Well it's time to announce the winners of the FREE passes to the Inkspirations 4U Summer Session. I really wish I could give everyone a FREE pass! Our first winner is......

So this was Sherry D and here is her winning comment.

The second winner was....

Christie Anderson - and here is her winning comment.

Congratulations ladies - you are in for a couple of weeks FILLED with Inkspiration! Please email me so that I can forward your details onto Madeline Morcelo, so that you receive your official invitation!

For those that missed out on a FREE pass from me, you can still join us for a fantastically fun time. Click HERE for more details.

Till next time, happy stamping...