A New Year is coming!

I know it's been a while since I have posted. It's also been a while since I have created. I guess like most of you, this is a busy time of year that is dedicated to family and friends. I have enjoyed some special moments with my family over the last week or so and am looking forward to more over the next couple of weeks. My postings may be a bit sporadic during this time, but I am sure that you understand!

Here is a sweet little calendar I whipped up on Christmas Day (there's always something that's left to the last minute, isn't there?) I made the calendar to match THIS bookmark for my friend, Stacey.


This calendar was designed by Tracey Old who is a design team member for Ustamp YEBO. I have got some much inspiration from Ustamp with Dawn and Friends.

Card: Lovely Lilac, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla

Ink: Sage Shadow, Pale Plum, Lavender Lace, Perfect Plum

Punches: Eyelet Border, , Butterfly

Ribbon: Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain
Embellishments: Clips Assortment
Stamp Sets: Organic Grace, Butterfly Prints, Great Friend (retired)

This will be my last post for 2009. I hope that 2010 brings you joy and happiness and great health and wellbeing.

Till next year, happy stamping...

Circle Scissors card

Oh no! A card without stamping.... what's happening to me!

This card has been made for a young boy who is turning 11 day, so he is allowed to apply for his firearms licence which is something that he has been wanting to do for the last 18 months. Trying to make cards for boys really throws me, since I have two daughters. I thought I'd attempt to make a target, using the Circle Scissors and Sweet Treat Cups from the Summer Mini.


I used an eyelet put in backwards (yes it was intentional) to look like a bullet hole and this is holding the backing for the sweet treat cup. The circle dot in the middle was centred, but the angle of this photo makes it look like it isn't.

I had to run this card by my husband as I built it to get approval for how targets look! I think he was impressed in the end.

This card was super easy to make and didn't require many items to build. Gotta love that!

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White
Embellishments: Sweet Treat Cups, Metallic Eyelets (retired)
Tools: Circle Scissors

Till next time, happy stamping...

Hexagon Boxes

Well it's that time of year, when there are presents galore and the old square or rectangular box is getting a bit boring. Krystina Gerke designed these boxes for Ustamp with Dawn and friends. Of course, I decorated them my own way!

Have you not heard of Ustamp with Dawn and friends? Click on the link and learn all about it. Basically you join up and each day a new tutorial is put up. Now who doesn't like to learn something new each day? The tutors are from all over the world, so it's fascinating to see what is being made elsewhere.


These boxes were filled with chocolate coated sultana's and a little poem on the tag reads:

Santa's heard that you've been bad
So listen here's the scoop
All you're getting for Christmas
Is this bag of Reindeer Poop!

I don't know who the author is, but I love the cheekiness of it!

Card: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Real Red, Baja Breeze
DSP: Parisian Breeze (retired), Ski Slope (retired)
Ribbon: Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain, Riding Hood Red 5/8" striped grosgrain, Linen Thread
Punches: Scallop Circle, 1" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Designer Tag, Small Tag
Embellishments: Rich Regal Eyelets (retired)
Stamp Sets: Best Yet, Spotlight on Christmas

Till next time, happy stamping...

A last minute christmas card!

Well, there is always one more christmas card that you have to do! You know that feeling when you think you've finally conquered Mount Everest and posted the millions of cards out, and then suddenly you realise that you missed someone? I didn't really miss this person, I just wanted to make a special card for them.


I had previously made a gift box for someone with an apperture and had cut the apperture too small. When I re-cut the apperture to the correct size, I ended up with this nifty little border and that's how this card started.

Card: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Baja Breeze
Ink: Kraft White, Night of Navy, Real Red, Basic Black
Ribbon: Basic Grey 3/8" taffeta
Stamp Sets: Tree Trimmings (retired), Short and Sweet

Till next time, happy stamping...

Amazing Inventory Clearance!

I can't beleive how great Stampin' Up! is. They are having an Inventory Clearance SALE from today until 24th January 2010.

There are select Alphabets set for only $38.98 (down from $77.95). How cool is that! Some glitter, hodgepodge hardware, DSP and ribbon is up for grabs too! And heaps of fantastic stamp sets!

Click HERE to see all the great bargains.

There is no minimum purchase or limit to the amount you can buy! But you will have to get in quick as these discounted products are only available while supplies last!

Contact me now to place your order!

Till next time, happy stamping...

Wedding Invites

I guess you are wondering why I haven't been posting much of late. But I have been busy making wedding invites for my brother and his lovely fiancee's wedding. You can see that I have a countdown blinkie on the right hand side of my blog, which says that there is only 2 months till the actual wedding. So the deadline to have these posted is TODAY!

This invite was easy to make, but since everything was hand cut and done individually it took myself and two of my friends hours to make them. I am really happy with the final effect and they look quite stunning.


I have overlaid the rings over the actual details of the wedding, so please don't think this is part of the invite. Just my way to have a little privacy for the bride and groom.

Card: Night Of Navy, Baja Breeze, Silver Metallic
DSP: Bella Blue
Paper: Vellum
Embellishments: Rhinestone Brads

Till next time, happy stamping...

Blog Hop Candy Winner is...

Lynda Shrimpton

Lynda wrote

"Heya Leonie,

As instructed.. .I am reporting in to u to claim my.....I-did- the-blog- hop-and-I- have-not- worn-my-fingers- to-the-bone prize...LOL! !!

For me I started this AM (Fm Nicoles Blog....Stampin Down Under).....and went fm there....granted a wee convoluted, but I enjoyed it completely. Good news is I MADE IT!!

I also realised that I was familiar with a lot of ur special ESAD ladies...just was not aware how many of them wer PART of the group..LOL!!

For me the stand out products wer "Butterfly Prints" with co-ordinating punch (woo hoo), Kaleidoscope DSP and the circle cutter. However I also saw things on the blogs that I had glossed over in the catty , but found myself going back for a 2nd look!!

You haev my sincere thanks for co-ordinating such a HUGE event and I hope now that u can put ur feet up (relishing the cooler weather....yeah) and sip on a latte or 2!!

Yours in crafting,Lynda xx"


Congratulations Lynda on hopping to all those sites and leaving a message. And thanks to everyone else who hopped along too! This is the candy that I am sending to Lynda to say thanks for joining in the fun. And she will receive parcels from other members too! I say that Lynda's Christmas is going to be a happy one!

If you missed the blog hop , you can click here to start the ESAD Summer Mini blog hop tour.


Now I believe that we all had so much fun that we have decided to do another one in January for the Sale-A-Bration promotions. Be sure to come back in January to check that blog hop out too!

Till next time, happy stamping...

For a special friend...

Well this post includes a card and a box! Double whammy!

Despite being a demonstrator, I don't own the whole catty... yet! So occasionally I have to borrow some sets from friends of mine. We decided that we would set a new rule, that if you borrowed a set, you had to make a card to go back with the set upon return. Recently I borrowed Loads of Love Accessories from my friend, Julie. I struggled with how to make a card using 'only' this set to go back, as I didn't want to team it up with Loads of Love (although that would have made a great card too).

This is my offering;


I stamped the presents along the base of a piece of cardstock, using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line them up and space them (or non space them) neatly. I then built my card around this. I tried to make it look like a shop front, although I am not sure how successful this strategy was.

I have also borrowed a couple of other things, like the tag punch, so I thought that I would make a sweet box to return the goodies in. I really enjoyed making these items, as I know how much they will be appreciated!

Card Ingredients:

Card: Elegant Eggplant, Pretty In Pink, Rose Red
DSP: Sweet Always
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace
Punches: Designer Label, Word Window, Scallop Edge Border, Photo Corners
Ribbon: Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain
Embellishments: Flower Assortment Designer Brads (retired)
Stamp Sets: Loads of Love Accessories, Fun and Fast Notes

Box Ingredients:

Card: Pink Pirrouette, Pumpkin Pie
DSP: Sweet Always
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Punches: Small Tag, Round Tab, Tag
Ribbon: Pretty In Pink 1/4" grosgrain, Hemp Twine
Embellishments: Flower Fusion, Flower Fusion Too, Circle Fire Rhinestone Brads
Stamp Set: Best Yet

Till next time, happy stamping...

I finally finished my advent calendar!

I decided that I'd make an advent calendar this year. I purchased a pre-cut MDF box to assist me with this. Unfortunately there were no instructions in the package, so I have fumbled about and worked out how to put this box together. I now know, that MDF expands when painted. I had to file back all the tongues to fit in the grooves, in order to construct the box!

I loved the way I was able to use our adorable DSP and inks to create this calendar.


It's probably a bit difficult to see in the photo, but the ornaments from the Tree Trimmings set and the 3D snowflake are hanging from the top of the box.

I am not going to list all the ingredients for this project as it is such a mixture and some of the items used come from my stash or my friends stashes and have been there that long, that we would only be guessing their origin.

Till next time, happy stamping...

A gorgeous box!

Well we all know it's that time of year, when we are handing out presents left, right and centre! Earlier this week the local craft group that I belong to had our Christmas party and we all had to bring a Secret Santa present! Now I don't think it was a secret that it was from me!

I had joined Ustamp with Dawn and Friends Holiday Season (now closed) and Jenny Moors provided the tutorial for this gorgeous box! It even has a little window on the top, so you can take a peek at the gift inside.

This box was super quick to make! The decorations were simple to make, as the Spotlight on Christmas stamp set, has five co-ordinating punches that go with it. So I have a special deal on for the next week, finishing 10th December 2009. You purchase the Spotlight on Christmas Bundle for $163.75 delivered to your door.

This bundle includes:

Spotlight on Christmas Stamp Set
1 1/4" Circle Punch
1 1/4" Square Punch
Large Oval Punch
Large Star Punch
5 Petal Flower

That's $194.70 worth of product for $163.75.

Alternatively my second bundle include all the punches detailed above for $123.80.

That's receiving a punch for free if you take up either option! *Postage fees apply.

Perhaps you might want to leave a bookmark on this page for hubby to find! For more information or to place an order, please email me!



Card: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Whisper White
DSP: Ski Slope (retired)
Ribbon: Riding Hood Red 1 1/4" striped grosgrain, Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain
Punches: Small Tag, Large Oval, Large Star, Designer Label, 1 " Circle, Horizontal Slot
Stamp Set: Spotlight On Christmas

Till next time, happy stamping...

ESAD Summer Mini Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my blog.

Today you have either stumbled across or been informed about the Blog Hop that the ESAD group is having. So who is ESAD? We are a group of "Extremely Special Australian Demonstrators". We have our own yahoo group and we share ideas and provide support and friendship to other demonstrators. We have regular chats, challenges, swaps and tech talks.

If you are an Australian or NZ Stampin' Up! demonstrator you can join our group. Click here for more information. 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.

I am showcasing a card using the stamp set, Butterfly Prints, and co-ordinating punch from the Summer Mini. I just love that this punch also co-ordinates with Flight of the Butterfly from the Ideas Book and Catalogue.

I used the emboss resist technique to build this card. To do this, you need to emboss an image onto your cardstock using clear embossing powder. Then you go over it with ink. I used my brayer to ink this cardstock. I then used a tissue to wipe the excess ink off the embossed images. The best part is that the ink gets into the little cracks in the embossing and leaves a reverse image.



Card: Whisper White, So Saffron, Taken With Teal
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Taken With Teal, so Saffron, Versamark, Rose Red
Ribbon: So Saffron 5/8" grosgrain (retired), Elegant Eggplant 1/4" grosgrain
Punches: Butterfly, 1/2" Circle
Tools: Embossing Buddy, Embossing Pals, Heat Tool, Clear Embossing Powder
Stamp Sets: Butterfly Prints, Short and Sweet

Be sure to remember to add a comment to every post that you visit on this blog hop as you may win some BLOG CANDY for your efforts! There are about 30 blogs in total to visit, so grab a cuppa, set the kids up something that will entertain them for a while and enjoy our blog hop. After you have visited every blog, you will end up back at the first. Once you are there and have commented on every blog, please email Leonie to be entered into the blog candy draw.

Alright the next blog to visit is the very clever Steph Pikes.

Till next time, happy stamping...