A Hatful of Treats - Take 2

Okay you may have already seen this post, but I was not happy with the editing, so I am redoing it! I guess that's what happens when you have to take three attempts at writing a post. I have had sick kids today so my ability to concentrate has been impaired. I really should be in bed now, catching up on lost sleep, but will get this completed first.

Anyway, I would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who visited my site during the Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop. Entries for the blog hop candy have now closed and the winners will be announced shortly. For those who haven't been on the blog hop, please click HERE to be taken to my blog hop post and you can start from there and work your way around the blogs to see some fantastic works using the exclusive Sale-A-Bration stamp sets.

During the Sale-A-Bration blog hop I amassed over 500 hits to my site. This took my overall total to over 15000. I can't believe that I have had so many people checking out my work. I received over 50 comments on this post alone and this is the greatest thing about creating a blog. Nothing feels better than being able to show people new things and inspiring them to create. Xanapan was the first person to comment on my blog once it hit the magic 15000 hits. As a special thank you, I'd like to send you a special gift. Can you please email me your details so that I can pop it in the post for you!

Alrighty. I am part of another online group called Late Night Stampers. These ladies get very busy - Late at Night, of course! There are many different challenges and I thought that I'd try and join their challenge this week. The theme was "Vintage" and this is what I have come up with. Do you think it's Vintage? I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder.



I recently purchased the Crafters Tool Kit and have found it invaluable. I remember looking at other peoples creations and thinking that they must be so clever to be able to evenly space their pierced holes. Then I found the template in the Crafters Tool Kit, what a great time saver. I tell you what, I am loving this kit and wonder how I managed to make things without it. The time saved is certainly a great bonus!

Anyway I made the 3D hate using the sweet treat cups that are only available in the Summer Mini Catalogue. I have seem them used lots for lollies, and thought that this was a very nice change.

Of course, when using the sweet treat cups, you have to make your gift/card so that the recipient is able tot open the cup without demolishing your creative artwork. I thought I'd decorate the middle of this card up a bit more, than usual.

Card: Pretty In Pink, Baja Breeze, Going Grey
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pretty in Pink
DSP: Pattern Pack II (hostess gift)
Punches: Slit, Designer Label, 1 3/4" Circle, Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Scallop Edge, Round Tab
Ribbon: Pretty In Pink 1/2" striped grosgrain
Embellishments: Sweet Treat Cups, Flower Fusion Too, Corduroy Buttons (retired), Fire Circle Rhinestones, Hodgepodge Hardware, Fleurettes II
Stamp Sets: Curvy Verses, Live Like You Mean It (hostess set), Seeing Spots

Till next time, happy stamping...

I was spoiled by Dianne Spies

Well I have shown you a couple of things that I made for my Secret Sister in Round 1. Now it is time to see my final parcel contents.

Firstly there was this adorable bag made by Di. I was entranced by the bag, but was thrilled when I opened it to find my very own scallop edge punch. I jumped up and down with glee to receive that.


This bag was made using:

Card: Pacfici Point, Whisper White
Ink: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette
Punch: Scallop Square
Ribbon: Pacific Point 5/8" Striped Grosgrain
Stamp sets: Seeing Spots, Say It With Scallops

Next was this adorable card, which Dianne 'revealed' herself to me.

Card: Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Really Rust
Ink: Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Really Rust, White Stazon
Punches: Eyelet Border, Scallop Circle
Ribbon: Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain
Embellishments: Button Latte, Linen Thread
Stamp sets: Polka Dot Background, En Francais, Fresh Cuts

Finally there was this adorable little gift bag, filled with these sweet little Love Notes. The concept for the gift bag was delightfully simple, yet stunning.

Card: Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Stazon White, Basic Grey, Kiwi Kiss, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze
DSP: Urban Garden
Ribbon: Basic Grey Taffeta, Baja Breeze 1" Double Stitched Grosgrain
Stamp Set: Pocket Silhouettes

I feel that I was spoiled by my Secret Sister, Dianne. The thing I love about the Stampin Up company is that all the demo's are there to share. It's a real friendly group of people, and it certainly does feel like a family, which means that having a Secret Sister doesn't feel strange.

So you think that was enough for me. I was pretty happy with it. But Dianne also spoilt my daughters by sending them their own parcel, with a teddy inside. Now they will not go to bed without their teddy from their Secret Aunty.

Anyway I will be back soon with more from the past three months. I'd love to show you projects I am working on now but they are for my new Secret Sister, so you'll just have to wait.

Till next time, happy stamping...

One Sheet Wonders

I know I have been very bad at keeping up to date with this blog. I am so sorry for making you wait. I have been busy working on things for my secret sister. No excuse, I know, but it's the only one I have.

Anyway last week was DH's birthday and of course, I left it to the last minute to do anything. Someone, sorry I can't remember who, had directed me to Mae's Cachet which has templates for doing "One Sheet Wonders" What is a "One Sheet Wonder"? I hear you ask! Well basically it is a piece of cardstock, with many stamps stamped over it and you then cut it up to make a number of different cards. It is quite an effective way of using one piece of card to make a bundle of cards. I think it's fantastic as well, if you don't have much DSP, as you create your own design.


So I quickly whipped up a 'sheet' and cut it up. I decided to try and use Pacific Point, as I don't use it very much at all. I do like the colour but in general find it very BRIGHT. I had just bought the co-ordinating ribbon as well for an extra incentive to use it.

I made two cards using the same sheet for hubby. The first one was from the kids and I had a little accident when stamping "Happy Birthday", so I covered it with the beads. These beads are not SU and were from my friend Julie.

This second card was from me. I loved the way using the same paper you could come up with two completely different cards.

The other fantastic thing about Mae's "One Sheet Wonders" is that you can adapt them to any type of theme you need. My next lot is going to be for Christmas.

Card: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss
Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Really Rust
Ribbons: Pacific Point 5/8" striped grosgrain, Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin
Punch: Double Rectangle, 1/2" circle

I am also working on an apparently foolproof method of watercolouring, which I hope to show you next post.

Till next time, happy stamping