My gifts from Nikki Stalker

Well if you have been following my blog you will know that I participated in a Secret Sister swap last year with the ESAD group. I haven't shown you what I received yet as I wanted to ask permission from the maker. So I had to patiently wait until January (yep that's right!) to find out who she was. And if you haven't figured it out, my SS was Nikki Stalker.

Now I have been a closet fan of Nikki's for some time, but I have decided it's time to come out! LOL!

Firstly she sent me this stunning tri-fold card. Now she didn't send that choccie smudge! Lol! Nor did she send the choccie to make this smudge! I had put this adorable card up on my piano and Miss 1 managed to climb up and grab it!

Later in October I also received this beautiful parcel. Not Quite Navy is my favourite colour - you wouldn't know it looking at my work! Nope, I am hoarding it for later. LOL! Anyways in this cute box was some in-colour ribbons, build-a-brads and chewy caramels. Mmm yum! Amazingly I was quite busy at this time, so I didn't eat the caramels straight up, as I had to wait to take a photo (for you).

And it was receiving this card that made me work out how to make the scallop medallion centrepiece. I honestly thought it was one punch that worked in one go! Well it is one punch - namely the scallop edge border punch - but it is punched four times. One of each side! I felt a bit silly not having worked this out before now. Have you ever worked something out and discovered it was simpler than you thought? Please share with me so I don't feel like such a dill.

Anyway over the next couple of posts, I will share more of what I received from Nikki.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Clean and simple cards

Well these two tone scallop borders have been pretty popular over the internet the last couple of weeks. For a really quick and easy tutorial, duck over to Gretchen Barron's blog!

I saw someone's Sale-A-Bration card made using these colours, so I thought that they looked great together, so I would give it a go.

I managed to whip these cards up in less than 10 minutes. Yep, super quick and super classy! Well that's what I think anyway!

I am really loving the FREE Happy Moments SAB Stamp Set. I am not going to be happy when it is gone, but I guess that's just the way Sale-A-Bration works. Exclusive, never to released again, stamp sets. In order to receive some FREE stamp sets, you can spend AU$100 or host a AU$600 party before 31st March 2010.

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Ballet Blue
Ink: Basic Black
Punch: Slit Punch
Tools: Stampin' Pastels

Till next time, happy stamping...

100th Post - Blog Candy up for grabs

I cannot believe that I have had 100 things to show you, in less than twelve months.

When I joined SU a year ago, I did it to save money. I had spent five months buying off a lovely demonstrator, who encouraged me to join as I alone was able to keep her sales quota up. So I figured, why not? I mean saving 20% on my purchases sounded like a great idea to me. And to boot Sale-A-Bration was on, which meant that I was also entitled to receive a FREE stamp set from the Idea Book and Catalogue. It seemed like a no brainer to me! This same incentive is available this year! If you join Stampin' Up! ® before 31/3/10, you'll be entitled to this fantastic offer too!

Anyway I started doing a lot more blog surfing - or blurfing, if you like and thought why don't I give this a go? I can make some nice papercraft item and my computer skills are okay. So with a little bit of research, I started this blog. I can tell you that my computer skills have improved greatly in the last twelve months. This was one of the hidden perks of joining Stampin' Up! ® for me. I have also made many great friends.

Anyway to commemorate this auspicious occasion, I thought I'd offer you some blog candy! All you have to do to be in the running is leave a comment before 14/2/10 and I'll randomly draw one winner to receive the lovely bag pictured above.

Now that bag alone is nice, but pictured below is what is inside the bag. Yep, half a dozen gorgeous cards. This bag and card set was designed by Becky Roberts for Ustamp.

Now since this is a Ustamp tutorial, I am not going to list the ingredients. But I must say, I LOVE the Happy Moments Stamp Set that is available with the Sale-A-Bration promotion. All you have to do to receive this set is to order AU$100 worth of product before 31/3/10. This isn't hard to do, as there are so many fantastic products available in the Idea Book and Catalogue and in the Summer Mini Catalogue.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be in the running to win this beautiful set.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Manly card

Well hello again! I have been so busy making things that I have forgotten to blog for a few days. I had heaps of posts last month and this month may appear a bit quieter. But keep coming back because I will be posting a few items over the next week or so.

Have you always wondered how people keep coming up with such grand ideas? Or how they find other blogs? Well I am now in the Top 50 Cardmaking Blogs of Australia. How exciting is that? On my side bar I have a permanent icon that you can click on to take you to this fantastic one stop blog shop.

Anyway enough idle chit chat. I decided after ESAD Cyberstamp that I would try to use up my Garden Green supplies. Apparently it's not a favoured colour among the SU community! So I decided one day to see if I could use it in a card. I must admit, I was sceptical - but I love the results.

To make the tree, I stamped the image in a light colour and then used my chalks (yep, they've been out again) and coloured little circles of different shades of green over the leaves. I also used the chalks to colour the trunk. I then inked up my oak tree stamp with a darker colour and using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, I stamped on top of the original image. It gives a more realistic picture I think. This tree is a bit blurry to look at 'cause it's windy! lol!

This card was probably the easiest card to come together for me. Maybe I am a closet Garden Green lover! I know that I lurv Bravo Burgundy, so it's makes sense. Anyway you probably want the ingredients!

Card: Bravo Burgundy, Whisper White, Garden Green, Brilliant Blue, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel
DSP: Pattern Pack II (hostess gift)
Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval, Small Oval
Ribbon: Linen Thread
Embellishments: Metallic Eyelets (non-SU)

Okay on a final note, I have been loving the comments on my blog. It inspires me to create more for you! This is my 99th post, so the next one will be the magical 100 and I may have some blog candy for you! Keep your eyes peeled!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Challenge me!

I have come to be constantly visiting the blog of a very talented lady from the US. Her name is Gretchen Barron and she is sooooooo clever. Anyway she likes to challenge us and usually I don't have enough time in my days to get to them on time, but the moment I saw this sketch challenge I had to have a go.


I knew that it would go hand in hand with the colour challenge that had been set by the ESAD group. I was very concerned about these colours as I generally shy away from oranges, but I thought that I would try. The winner of this challenge gets to have their item displayed on the 'front' page of the ESAD group blog. How exciting would that be?



I decided to use the Baroque Motifs on the background and cut it up and alternate my colours. I did think that the Riding Hood Red and Old Olive would look great together - but I wanted to get away from 'christmas' colours. So I chose the Riding Hood Red and Pumpkin Pie. I stamped the image onto one sheet of both colours in Riding Hood Red ink and then dissected them into quarters. I did consider joining the alternates up to make the normal stamped image but felt that there was too much blank unstamped cardstock on the corners, so instead turned them around so the image was on the outer corner.


I then mounted these on Old Olive for one set, and because I had enough to make a second card, I mounted them on the opposite colour for the second set of images.

Because I was entering a competition to go onto the ESAD website, I thought that I would try to only use product that is from the current Idea Book and Catalogue. I couldn't quite find the right button embellishment, so decided to make my own. Yep, those are handmade buttons made using cardstock, a paper piercer, a punch and some Crystal Effects.

To make my centrepiece I inked up my Pocket Silhouette stamps using my marker pens. I then randomly stamped them onto my on point square. It started to look a bit overdone at the top and there were gaps where the stems were finishing. So rather than keep stamping and end up with something that looked like my 22 month old had stamped, I decided to use my sponge daubers to burnish the edges and bottom of the square. It filled the gap in nicely, and gave a bit more definition to my 'picture'.

So tell me what do you think?

Card: Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Riding Hood Red, Old Olive
Ink: Riding Hood Red
Markers: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive
Punch: 1/2" Circle
Ribbon: Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain
Stamp Sets: Pocket Silhouettes, Baroque Motifs

Till next time, happy stamping...

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...

Final gift to Secret Sister

Well, this is the final installment of the October to December 2009 Secret Sister swap. Well at least this is the final piece that I sent. Actually to be honest it isn't all of it, nor did I send all that is in this picture. How confusing is that?

I sent one of these milk cartons (which are designed by the very talented Becky Roberts) to Andrea. Inside was an assortment of brads and candles. I also sent some Pink Pirrouette DSP and Ice Circle Rhinestones. I hope they bought a smile to my SS's face!


The other set I posted to my extended family! The milk cartons are so cute and have a little trapdoor on the bottom, so they don't need to be ripped open to get to the goodies and can be re-used!

Since this is Becky Roberts design I am not going to list the ingredients on this post. I will be running a class to teach this for Easter. Keep your eye's peeled for more information as it comes to hand.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Helping Haiti...With Love

Well this card I made using the I {heart} Hearts stamp set. This is only available in the summer mini until the 31st March 2010. Stampin' Up! ® has made the committment to send $2 from each sale of this adorable stamp set to Haiti.

I think this is a bit girly, but I couldn't help myself. The self made DSP is done using a stamp that has three images on it. I individually coloured each heart and then stamped them on the cardstock.

Card: Pretty In Pink, Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Rose Red
Marker Pens: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Pretty In Pink
DSP: Sweet Always
Punch: Scallop Edge, Scallop Circle
Ribbon: 1" Rose Red double stitched grosgrain
Embellishments: Flower Fusion,Flower Fusion Too, Clear Rhinestones, Sherbert Buttons

Till next time, happy stamping...

Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop

Okay this is a bit of a strange post, as it includes two things.

Firstly you have probably come to my site via the ESAD Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop. Welcome! Okay so have you come across ESAD before? We are "Extremely Special Australian Demonstrators" Yahoo Group. If you are an Aussie or New Zealand Demonstrator you can join our group. We share ideas and provide support and friendship to other demonstrators. We have challenges, tech talk, swaps etc. Click here for more information on our group.

If you aren't a demonstrator and are worried about missing out, contact me and I'll can fill you in on many more benefits that you'll receive by being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

So that gets me onto the second part of this post. For the last three months of last year, we held a Secret Sister swap. Basically those who chose to participate were given details of a participant and each month we had to post them two cards and a 3d gift, using SU product, of course! My Secret Sister was Andrea Buckland and this is the 2nd card I sent her during December.



Yep, that's right as a demostrator I had access to the Sale-A-Bration sets early - just another wonderful benefit of being a demonstrator. And if you join during Sale-A-Bration you can choose a FREE stamp set to the value of $79.95 from the Ideas Book and Catalogue! How cool is that?

Card: Very Vanilla, Pretty In Pink, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Soft Subtle Stampin' Write Markers, Chocolate Chip, Versamark
Punches: Word Window, Curly Label, Slit Punch
Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs, Happy Moments

Okay the next person on the blog hop is Tanya Kitto. Remember to leave a comment as you may be eligible to win some blog candy. Once you have done the loop and left a comment on each post please email Leonie (The Great Organiser) and let her know that you have satisfied your committments to be entered into the blog candy draw.

Till next time, happy stamping...

Teachers gift

Okay, you're probably thinking, why didn't she show me this last year? Well I didn't because I made an indentical card and sent it to Andrea, so didn't want her to find my blog and know that it was me.

Now we all know that at the end of the year it's nice to say thanks to your childs teacher, so I modified a box to hold some Ferrero Rochers and Nescafe lattes.

I thought that the '-a-latte' stamp from Fun and Fast Notes would make an appropriate card, the only problem being that it says "Love you-a-latte" and I am not quite that fond of the teacher. So I stamped the 'Thank' from "Thank Ewe" and 'you' from "Love you-a-latte" on some Baja Breeze cardstock and punch it out using the word window punch, then covered the 'love you' bit. I actually think it added a little more pizzazz than just using the straight stamp.



I also used the Spotlight On Christmas stamp set to make the background paper for the card and as you can see it doesn't look very Christmassy at all. I think that's another reason why I love this set. It can be used for a number of occasions.

Card: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
DSP: Parisian Breeze (retired)
Ribbon: Baja Breeze 1" double stitched grosgrain
Punches: Large Star, Word Window, 1/2" Circle
Embellishments: Jumbo Brads 5/16"Neutrals

Make sure you tune in tomorrow for the next addition of the ESAD Blog Hop for Sale-A-Bration. If you haven't been on a blog hop before, basically you start at one blog and hop to the next and the next, until you return to the first post. On your hop you'll be treated to many ideas on how to use the FREE sets that you can earn during Sale-A-Bration.

Till next time, happy stamping...