Inlaid Embossing

I hope you have all had a wonderful Easter break.  The weather was particularly lovely in Hawke's Bay but the rain that has arrived, looks to be settled in for a while.
So it's a great crafty sort of day, the gardening will have to wait. I have had a few extra young vistors for 2 weeks whose Mum needed to be away.  Here's a card I made with the daughter for her Mum's return.  We spied just the right words that were part of a stamp, in the retired stamp set "Sweet Little Sentiments".  Using a Stampin' Write Marker we inked just the words we wanted.  You can use this same technique when using an image stamp too.

The butterfly is flying the banner and the string also doubles as antennae.  Being able to have precut embosslit butterflies, made this project very simple to put together and is still beautiful in it's simplicity.  I will be putting a Mother's Day card project together for a 'new entrant' class, so I have been thinking how I can achieve a wonderful result and be able to keep the project 'new entrant' proof.  This has made me look at my supplies through 'young' eyes. We are spoilt with so many wonderful tools to make our craft life easy.

Stampin' Up! supplies: 

Embosslits die: Beautiful Wings

Card stock: Rose Red & Pretty in Pink

Sponging: Rich Razzleberry

Other: Basic Pearls

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Bunny Basket

Here's a basket decorated with a bunny to house some chocy treats.  I made a few that have made there way to Christchurch for my sons.  I got this basket pattern quite some time ago from Splitcoaststampers but am unable to find a link for it, sorry!  My bunny has been made using some punch art.  My sons will also have their sister visiting them to help eat the chocolates.  Now that's a treat!!

He even has a fluffy tail.  I got the idea for his tail from Paula Dobsons "Bunny Bum" card,  I really loved that idea. Thanks Paula.
Hope you all have a lovely Easter break and that you don't consume too many calories, but take time to remember the real meaning of Easter.

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Autumn Leaves

I love this time of year, the colours of the leaves changing, the last of the warm days. Winter is letting us know it's coming with those crisp starts in the morning.  I just don't get enough craft time to play with the ideas that flit through my head and my MOJO comes and goes.  This card was inspired by the idea that leaves need spritzing to give them the natural Autumn look.  They are not plain and uniform in colour.

I was also using my new "Lots of Tags" Sizzlits 4-pack die and using my "Stamp-a-ma-jig" to position my "Thank You" stamp nicely in the middle. 

All scenes are usually so much more memorable when a lovely coloured butterfly comes along, flits for a while to let us see it's beauty, and then moves on.  This a la carte stamp "All a Flutter"  has been stamped with Staz On ink onto Vellum card stock and coloured in with aqua painters and ink.  I was very happy with the finished effect. This is the first time I have tried this idea, I will have to do it more often.  The edges turned up naturally when they became damp, so this was a bonus in my favour.
All together this is the completed look.  Hope you have had a minute to enjoy the sun today,  if it was out for you, I did.

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A Scrap Page - finally

It's long overdue but there's nothing like meeting with a group of scrapbookers to inspire me to create an all SU scrap page.  I really enjoyed doing this and wondered why I don't get to do more scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is making it's way up my priority list.

I used Old Olive card stock as my base and added a 4 inch strip of Greenhouse Gala DSP. I have stamped the grass using Inspired by Nature in Old Olive ink. I have used my Top Note die as my journalling spots and sponged there edges with Old Olive ink.  

The flowers and leaves were inspired by the hanging baskets of rich purple petunias in the photo.
I have layered 2 cut out 5-petal punch flowers for each and run them through the crimper.  The centre is a black cut out flower from the Boho Blossoms punch.  The leaves are cut out using the Little Leaves die and I have sponged the edges with Old Olive ink. The photo is matted on Rich Razzleberry and then Sahara Sand card stock. I made another page on the evening and gave it to my hostess without the photo, so she can add her own.  She loved it.  Hope you are planning your craft projects to occupy you in the cooler months ahead. If you haven't tried scrapbooking, I can personally recommend it.
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Nature Walk

There are so many lovely new products that tick the box for me in the Stampin' Up! Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue, just released 1 April.  Check out the lovely products available by clicking on the picture to your left. When I received the wonderful stamp set "Nature Walk" as a door prize at Regional Training, I was delighted.  Here's the first card I made using the stamp set.

I used More Mustard as my card base and stamped the eggs and sponged the edges of the "Framed Tulips" embossed card with it too. I combined it with Cajun Craze, it's the replacement colour to the retired Really Rust. I always love working with that colour.  It's rich and deep colours, fit the stamp set and all Autumn themed scrap pages.

The bird had a little attention from some markers.  They are such wonderful tools to colour stamps in with and you get such a professional look.  A little "Always Artichoke" card stock stamped with the bird cage on it has given the card it's third dimension colour.  I hope you feel inspired to get crafting and try out this new stamp set too.
Place your order for the "Nature Walk" stamp set today, $62.95 wood-mount or $49.95 clear mount for a set of 7 stamps + p&h by emailing me today. 
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Inspired by Nature

"Inspired by Nature" has been one of the stamp sets I have always wanted since I first saw a Stampin' Up! catalogue over 2 years ago, and now I finally own it. I am not disappointed.  I had embossed a sheet of So Saffron with the "Elegant Lines" embossing folder a while ago, and it has just sat on my desk waiting to be made into a card.  Seeing a piece of cardstock with Very Vintage wheeled on it in Chocolate Chip ink when mounting my new stamp set got my Mojo flowing and this is what I came up with. Have you noticed the "Framed Tulips" piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock on the card.  You guessed, another wonderful new embossing folder available in the Stampin' Up! new Autumn-Winter mini catalogue.  

I thought I would put a matching button on this card. I cut the buttons using the "Buttons #5" die. Cut 3 matching buttons out and glue together in layers using a glue stick.  I threaded the buttons onto my paper piercer to line up the holes to give it a lovely clean match.  Tie with a little linen thread, and attach with a glue dot. Your button will be a perfect match on your project. 

Cherry Cobbler is such a great colour with So Saffron.  I still get such satisfaction seeing how Stampin' Up! inks and card stock match so beautifully.

I need to make a few of these to put into my stash.  I really enjoyed making this card.
To get your  "Framed Tulips" embossing  folder for $19.50NZD and "Buttons #5" die $12.25 + p&h, email me today to place your order.
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Create a Cupcake - so yummy

Who doesn't like a cupcake!  The icing always gets me, the cherry is so tempting. This is the card we made at our recent Stampin' Up! Regional Training using the new "Create a Cupcake" stampset and also it's corresponding punch, "Build a Cupcake Punch".

They look so yummy. For the icing the lovley In Colours, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzaz were used along with Soft Suede.

I love how these colours come together, they are cheerful and summery.  Let's enjoy the last of our warmer sunny days while we have them, and don't forget to sit and enjoy a cupcake or two, while sitting in the sun.

If you would like to make some lovely cupcake cards then email me to place an order for this wonderful "Create a Cupcake" stampset $55.95 wood-mount or $36.95 clear-mount and it's corresponding punch "Build a Cupcake Extra-Large Punch" $41.50NZD + p&h.

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A "Bliss" of a Sale-a-bration time

It's time to say farewell to our Sale-a-bration time and also the Summer Mini Catalogue.  Here's a card using one of the free stampsets, "Bliss".  It's time to welcome in the new Autumn/Winter mini catalogue with more exciting new products, it is launching tomorrow. 

Simple lines and using only two colours, in this case Night of Navy and Sahara Sand, give this card a crisp simplicity, and all this effect using only one stamp set.
I have finished it off using our lovely Smooch Spritz which gives it a lovely glittery finish.

The butterfly has been cut out by hand, and mounted on dimensionals looks ready to fly away.

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Pretty in Pink for OOh so cutie

It's not too often I get to indulge my passion for making pink baby cards, but I enjoyed making this one for a precious wee treasure who arrived safely last week. What a cause for celebration. I haven't used my 'Baby Tee's' wheel enough, so this was a great opportunity to ink it up. 

Dad & Mum have given her a lovely European name "Inge".  I used "Pretty in Pink" card stock and sponged around the edges.  I gathered the "Eyelet Boarder" punched card stock in my crimper.

The background was wheeled using Versamark ink.  On a separate piece of cardstock I wheeled the tee I wanted in Rose Red.  I coloured it in and then cut it out and mounted it using dimensionals. A pink button tied with paper and finally some pearls.  What more does a girl want.

The inside got some attention too.  I wheeled with my versa mark, something I do more of these days, it's really a great way to watermark your paper.  No pun intended.  It's times like these when I want to personalise a card, that I still head into my retired stock and enjoy using some favourites again. What I enjoyed most about delivering this card was the precious cuddle I got to enjoy and seeing Mum's happy face. What a special new bundle this is in the family.

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Textured Layers

I decided to draw some inspiration from browsing my mags and while recovering this week and having to take it easy, it was a great opportunity to pull out the mags. This card was inspired by a design by Sue Smith in a Cardmaking, Stamping & Papercraft magazine, which didn't use SU product.

So I decided to make my own DSP's with stamps and ink using only Stampin' Up! product.  I am quite happy with the result.  So take some inspiration from the fact that you can use different inks and stamps and layer them to achieve exciting results.  See if you can work out what Stampin' Up! products I have used!!  Now there's your challenge. 

I had fun making a challenge for myself and bringing the layers together. Hope you like it too.

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Flower Fancy - Bright and Cheerful

To all in Canterbury who have been affected by the earthquake, thoughts and prayers go your way.  My two sons who live and study in Christchurch are safe and are able to help others at this time.  The university is closed for 3 weeks.  It is a stressful time for all, with the ongoing aftershocks.  We are still so blessed though to have infrastructures in this country where help is so generously given and where we see people working so efficiently to have power and water restored as soon as possible to those without.  Sympathy is extended to any who have lost loved ones, or are unsure at this stage of there whereabouts.  
Today I want to show you what I came up with when playing with templates.  I wanted to use a large stamp with a clear outline.

 "Flower Fancy" has a wonderful clear large outline flower stamp in it's set, so that's what I used. I stamped onto the Pumpkin Pie card stock with Pumpkin Pie ink.  I then cut straight lines using my Fiskars cutter, up to the image line.  I then cut the rest of the flower out by hand.  I also cut out large flowers stamped onto DSP to match the Baja Breeze card stock.  The smaller flower is also cut out of DSP and layered on top.  The strips of chocolate chip card stock slot in and over under layers.  The leaves were created using the Big Shot and the Leaves #2 die and then crimped.  It's probably not my most exciting card ever, but I liked how I achieved the flower template using a single layer of card stock. The colour inspiration came from the DSP Greenhouse Gala.  What do you think!!!

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Gift Basket using own DSP

It's definitely time to say HI! again.  Today I'm sharing a basket and matching accessories I made as a gift to my downline when she joined my team.  It's made using a 12" x 12" piece of card stock.

Here's the 12" x 12" card stock flat.  I have used Stampin' Up! jumbo Antique Brass eyelets on the corners to thread the ribbon through.  The images that are stamped on the corners matching the Garden Green card stock were stamped using Versamark ink.  Versamark is a water marking ink and could well be renamed 'Versatile ink' as it's a great way to always have matching ink on card stock.  A 'must have' in that stash of craft materials.

I only had a limited amount of Sunny Garden DSP so decided to improvise and make my own to match.  Using the stamp set "Cottage Garden" and also the wonderful "In colour" inks, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Blush Blossom and Poppy Parade, I stamped them on Whisper White card stock.  I knew these would compliment the Sunny Garden DSP perfectly. 

Here's the matching CD case I made to pop in my basket, this is using a piece of my home made DSP, and of course with a butterfly from the embosslit "Beautiful Wings" using Peach Parfait card stock. 

Here's the matching card, little bag of accessories as well as other goodies, using of course my wonderfully created DSP.
Hope this inspires you to take a fresh new look at the products you have and invent new ways to use them. 
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sale-a-bration 25 Jan - 31 Mar '11

Stampin' Up!'s yearly sale-a-bration promotion is again offering wonderful Free Stamp sets.  So who wouldn't want to take advantage of this amazing offer today. 

Contact me today to have a fun night with a group of friends (with qualifiying sales) or place an order over $120 to qualify for free stamps.  Take advantage of this limited edition offer. 

Click on the sale-a-bration picture to your left to view stamp sets available 

Workshop bookings valid for Hawkes Bay, New Zealand ONLY

Looking forward to hearing from you soon

Jorjus Jeans

Well this is not the usual blog entry, this is something very special. My daughter has been working hard making this bag using an old pair of jeans as her base.  She has stitched her words so beautifully using stem stitch and my candlewicking thread. I  made her the big beautiful flower using my Big Shot and Circles #2 die.  Flowers is the theme on this side of the bag.

 

 And the other side is hearts. The Heart to Heart punch has also been used as a fabric template.  

Well it all got finished, after many patient hours of work, complete with a lovely inside lining with a zipped pocket, ready to use on our day out to Napier yesterday.  We had planned a day out for ages, and it finally happened.  She was given some lovely compliments for her bag.  I am really proud of her efforts and the final finished product.

The inspiration for this flower and the way it is constructed came from a pillow we saw.  I figured this would be a creative way to use the circles, creating them into a flower and using another circle as a centre.  I have yet to see how I can take this principal into card stock.  Hope you have enjoyed sharing another side to the creativity at our home.  There has been lots of thread to vacuum this week.  Did you know how many varied uses the Big Shot really has?? 

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Sunset Birthday Card

My oldest son had his birthday the other day, first ever away from home.  With my brayer arriving during the week it was time to start learning how to use it.  I wanted to make a special card, a blokes card.  Well here's my card.  I am fairly happy with it.  The only thing with having a brayer is wanting more ink colours and needing to buy reinkers.  Lots of fun though.  There are some amazing video tutorials out there, as it's been a while since High School art classes mucking around with a brayer. 

I had a few goes with torn paper and punched circle to effect the hills and sunset image.  This was inspired by the most amazing sky at night here the other week.  Nature is such an inspiration, we really only recreate what has already been created.

This is the sunset we had in Havelock North viewed from our lounge window.  So beautiful, love the silhouette of the street light.
I am pleased Mr M liked his card and parcel of goodies for his birthday.  I am assured he had a great day.  He was impressed that I had made this card for him.

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