Masculine birthday card

On Saturday my youngest son turned 22 and I've just realised we didn't even take a photo, probably the first year that has happened. In fact, he wasn't even really the centre of attention because his 4 year old and 2 year old nephews were spending the night at Grandma and Poppy's. He did get to choose the dinner, a family tradition, and we made his lasagne from scratch, as he requested. I still can't get it to taste the same as his Nonna's lasagne tasted though, but it was pretty good!

He had chosen two books he wanted, and I topped up the gift with a little cash, and a card made with love. Aaron approved and said that it was very suitable.

I used one of my favourite stamps, Extreme Elements (page 60) and Well Worn DSP set the colour scheme of Cajun Craze, Early Espresso and Pacific Point on kraft. I wound some Baker's Twine in Early Espresso around. The greeting on the front and inside were from the Hostess set, Happiest Birthday Wishes, which retires at the end of this catalogue (31st August 2012). The numbers are a 'sneak peak' from a set to be introduced in September -SHHHH!

Hope this blog gives you some inspiration,

Happy stamping, Rachel

Just Believe Get Well card

I decided to play with two challenges this week, Freshly Made Sketches using the simple sketch above and Dynamic Duos who challenged with a Monochromatic colour duo this week. Neutrals such as black, white, vanilla and kraft are also allowed, but I found the two nominated colours a very challenging combination.

I've been needing Get Well cards lately, so decided that I would make another one for this challenge using Stampin' Up stamp set Just Believe, a lovely set of nine stamps featured on Page 77 of the current catalogue. I stamped the main stamp onto the lovely Shimmery White card (I love the subtle sheen it has) first with River Rock and then with Always Artichoke, intending for it to look like a shadow. Using the framelits label die I cut the image on my Big Shot, before cutting the size bigger in Always Artichoke card. It seemed to need some texture so I ran it through in the Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder. I used Textured Impressions Stripes with ink on one side run through the Big Shot, once in each direction, to make the River Rock Gingham card at the bottom of the card. The greeting was also from the Just Believe stamp set on Shimmery White and punched with the Modern Label Punch and layered onto a strip of Always Artichoke with notches cut each end to make it look like a banner. Finally, I popped some pearls in a few strategic spots and ended up with this.......

 

and inside I stamped a smaller version of the flowers from Just Believe and a greeting from Thoughts & Prayers (page 112) which says "Wishing you a quick and complete recovery. Get Well Soon".

And a little card with 'Just Believe' flower and Thank You

This is a card which I put in with my orders in February, using the Shimmery White card, small flowers & Thank you from Just Believe and the Sale-A-Bration frame and butterfly (no longer available, sadly).

I hope you get some stamping time this week, join me in one (or both) of the challenges,
                                   
                                                                           Rachel

Lovin' Tea Shoppe

I am so enjoying playing with this gorgeous set of stamps, and for those who have visited my home, you probably know how I treasure my grandmother's fine English china tea cups. She was a lady of very refined taste, and regularly held bridge (card game) afternoons where she served glorious homemade cream sponges and tea in these same cups. When I was a child staying in school holidays, I was allowed to enjoy afternoon tea too.

I still enjoy to brew a pot of tea, but the fine china is not very practical for the dishwasher!!!

For this card, I stamped with versamark onto the Attic Boutique patterned paper and embossed with white embossing powder. Sponging with Pool Party ink over the embossing shows off the lovely delicate pattern on this large cup and taking my cue from the Attic Boutique papers I used Soft Suede as the contrast. I have played along with Freshly Made Sketches this week, you can play too!

I hope my card inspires your creativity too, let me know!

                                               

                                              Rachel

PPA Challenge & Freshly Made #38

Just a quick card so I can play along with these two challenges, PPA Color Challenge and Freshly Made Sketches #38. Click on their links, and look at the designers samples.

I used the Tea Shoppe stamp set and the Lacy Border Punch, with some Baker's Twine and red Glimmer Brads

Why not play along too?

It is rainy and chilly weather in Melbourne and looks like it will remain this way for the Queen's Birthday long weekend, so looks like I'll just have to scrapbook and make more cards!
I wanted to share this card I made to showcase the Hostess designer series paper Cheerful Treat on page 9 in the Idea Book & Catalogue and the sweet stamp set above it Posy Punch, with its three flowers. These flowers are easy to punch out using the Fancy Flower Punch. The DSP costs $15 (hostess dollars), the stamp set costs $23 (hostess dollars) for wood mount, $18 (hostess dollars) for clear mount.

It isn't too difficult to earn hostess dollars. When you hostess a workshop, or even collect orders totally $300 (before shipping) you collect Fifty Hostess Dollars which can be used to purchase "Hostess only" products or anything else from the main catalogue or current Autumn-Winter Mini.

I cut the DSP with the Top Note die on my Big Shot, stamped and punched out one of the blossoms, punched a border in Blushing Bride using the Scallop Trim Border punch and punched a small modern label for the greeting. The greeting and flower were raised on Stampin Dimensionals and trimmed with pearls. I used another piece of the Cheerful Treat DSP for the inside of the card and cut a piece of white card with one of the new Framelits dies before stamping another blossom and a greeting.

You can contact me by phone or email.

Hope you find some time to do something you love this weekend.

Cheers, Rachel



More Convention Highlights

Although there are so many exciting things happening at Convention, I think one of the main highlights would have to be the people you meet. There are the ones you already know from team meetings, and the ones you "know" from online forums.Then there are the new friends you meet at the event, and there were plenty of those. I met Margie on the plane coming up from Melbourne and we kept running into each other everywhere and I sat with her and some other friends for the "I Am Creative" class on Friday night. Unfortunately, I was having trouble with my new camera and have been able to take very few photos with people in them, my upline Sue has provided me with some.

Judy, me, Sue, Toby and Tina, posing before the awards dinner.

Margie and me

 Most demonstrators like to swap cards and other items like tags, bookmarks, matchbox folders and more, to share ideas and inspire each other. I received so many beautiful swaps, it is such a thrill to sort through them and they will keep on inspiring me for quite a while.

 These are the swaps I made for Convention, 30 of the top one using French Foliage stamp onto a Top Note Die. Mixed Blossom stamp onto Whisper White punched with the Blossom Punch and  Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder on Wisteria Wonder put through the Big Shot. There is a layer of Rich Razzleberry behind and it is tied with Rich Razzleberry Ribbon, but some had the Wisteria Wonder Ruffled Ribbon.

 I made 20 of the card on the left, getting carried away with the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch, Postage Stamp Punch, and the Lace Ribbon Border. Mixing and matching colours and In Colour Printed Brads or In Colour Glimmer Brads, meant there was an interesting variety of colours, so I didn't get bored with my project.

And I only made 10 of the more subtle Thoughts and Prayers card, because I was running out of time. This stamp set is such a pretty one, double-mounted stamps with words suitable for get well cards or sympathy, but the sprig of flowers that I used and the simple tree on its reverse, are great for many types of cards. I used Thanks so Much from Three Little Words this time and knotted a piece of Artichoke Denim Ribbon at the bottom.

And here is a selection of the cards I received in return. Is yours here?

If you aren't a demonstrator, and would love to join me at next year's Convention in Brisbane (23-25 May 2013) contact me. It is only $169 to join and YOU get to choose the $235 worth of Stampin Up products that suit you. Free shipping on your starter kit. You don't have to do workshops or demonstate the product if you would rather just purchase for yourself the quarterly minimum ($400). You always get a 20% discount and you can drop out at any time with no obligation.

I will happily answer any further questions if you call.

Happy stamping, Rachel

Stampin' Up Convention 2012 Canberra

I have spent the last few days away at the Australian Stampin' Up Convention, this year held in our national capital, Canberra. It has been many years since I visited Canberra and I was surprised that it still has the feel of a small regional city. On the whole, I find the architecture there uninspiring, but the Australian War Memorial was worth a visit. I walked there on a sunny afternoon before Convention began and spent several hours there, enthralled by the displays, especially World War 1 and the aircraft.

 

 

Then it was time to collect my bag and name tag at the Convention Centre before beginning a jam- packed three days with everyone from Stampin' Up. There were more than 450 demonstartors from all over Australia and New Zealand, the staff from Sydney and a number of the US staff, including Shelli Gardner. She inspired us with her enthusiasm and energy. She wrote on her blog about how she not only learned a new phrase in Australia, ("stuffed it") she did it, but it wasn't really as bad as that. She was demonstrating some gorgeous items and was told we don't have those items in the South Pacific. We often get "sneak peeks" at new product during convention and we thought we might be getting these items too, but poor Shelli was flustered. Hopefully she realises that we were laughing with her, not at her.

Shelli Gardner

The days were filled with lots of motivating talks, and sneak peeks of new product during demonstrations of projects and different techniques presented by the very talented Stampin' Up staff. After a staff member finishes their demo, it is time for Prize Patrol, very exciting. We are issued with coloured bands when we check in and we have to wear them all the time, if we want to win. Sadly, my band was not one of the many featured up on the screen. Not that I came away empty-handed, far from it. Stampin' Up were very generous and we received designer series paper, fabric and a number of NEW stamp sets that I can't show you until our catalogue is released on 1st September. I'm sure there will be plenty in the new catalogue to excite you! Just letting you know too, the catalogue will be 30 pages longer this year, imagine how much more they can fit on those 30 pages! The Holiday catalogue will also be released at the same time and will run until the end of January, and next year we will get our main catalogue on 1st July, only one month after North America!!

I also took part in an optional class on the Friday night, when we again received heaps of product. There was a whole roll of ribbon for each person, Jewels Basic Rhinestones,Sticky Strip, a packet of the new Christmas DSP, 2 sheets of Glimmer paper and more. Below is a photo of the bag and name tag I picked up when I checked in.It is a really nice bag with a pale green lining and lots of pockets. The centre section is very roomy, so I can see myself using it for quite a while.

WOW workshops were presented on stage by demonstrators who willingly shared their knowledge of special techniques and the resulting cards, layouts and 3D projects. I have filled pages and pages in my notebook with scribbled ideas, sketches and random measurements, plus I took lots of photos. I hope I can make sense of it all when I try to decipher what the scribble means!! Here are just a couple that took my fancy.

Teresa Dabrowski, a demonstrator from Canberra showed us this cute sign she made for a 60th birthday cake and also showed us a version without the inking and then this one, and how she achieved the 'boards' - oh, what a difference! The card with the butterfly was also made by Teresa and she inked the lace border at the bottom of the card using the punched strip as a template.

I am a little tired, too tired to think any more, so I will post this and see if I come up with more later. Thanks for looking in, happy stamping.

Rachel