You Make Me Happy, Logan

Here is the second card I've made with the Pop 'n Cuts system. Again, it is for a very special family member, Logan, who headed to hospital the same day his cousin left there. Logan had to have his tonsils removed, as he is always unwell and has no appetite. He appeared to come through with flying colours, judging by the upbeat conversation I had with him, but there are bound to be some low points too, over the coming days.

I made him this bright little card to cheer him up. He'll be able to wiggle it about until it comes apart, I guess. Sadly, Logan prefers diggers, but this police car will have to do I'm afraid. I layered up 2 Deco Label Framelits for the inside this time and stamped with the SALE-A-BRATION stamp set See Ya Later.
The sun is simply cut with a Starburst Framelit in the appropriate size and then various DSP in shades of yellow were punched with the Banner Punch - which has been included in the new catalogue!!!!!! There are a couple of stamp sets which co-ordinate too.

The police car comes from a stamp set called You're My Hero which also has a fire engine and an ambulance, but it too is retiring. That will mean there are no current vehicle stamps for small boys, so sad.

I colour all these images with Stampin' Write Markers to get the variety of shades. Looks cheerful, doesn't it?

The white cloud is a scalloped oval, daubed with Smokey Slate and the Smokey Slate clouds are punched using the Cupcake Builder Punch. That's a useful punch for a few different things. The cupcake piece makes a nice handbag and the clouds/icing/ice cream probably have more uses too! I noticed at least one new stamp set that will use this punch and the current one, Create a Cupcake, is retiring.

I cut the outside of this card using a long-retired DSP with red stars, and I haven't decorated that yet, but I'm thinking a banner with his name too.



Logan's parents have no qualms about their son's image being "out there' so meet Logan, 4 and a bit, prior to surgery.

Hope you enjoyed my post, thanks for dropping by,

Rachel

Hello Little Baby

I have some special cards to share over the next two days, both made with the Pop 'n Cuts system.

Our family has recently welcomed Oliver to the crew. He made his arrival 5 weeks early weighing 1.9kg and has been able to come home this past week, weighing 2.3kg. Although still very tiny, he is adorable. His parents asked me to fill some frames to decorate his room, and I continued with the African Animal Theme they had embarked on some months before. Zoo Babies was the answer, and a number of other stamp sets for the vegetation which was stamped in Basic Gray and Smokey Slate to allow the numbers and animals to shine. This is when they were a 'Work In Progress' and I took a pic with my phone to ask the parents if this is what they had in mind. The big, bold, bright sun is from Kinda Eclectic, one of the first stamp sets we were given for a Make & Take session at Convention. I had only just arrived home when I began this project. The numerals are from my pre-Stampin' Up! days, purchased from the US, but the Coaster Board I used to cut them from is all Stampin' Up! Its ID is in a list at the end, and it is lovely for projects like this, cuts well on the Big Shot with a die, and equally well by hand, for the animals.

The Pop 'n Cuts are retiring, but until 30 June 2014, these are still available to buy through me, or your own Stampin' Up Demo (Australia/New Zealand). It's a shame, as once you've mastered the system, they're good fun, and very effective. I've made some cute gift pouches using it too, which you can see if you come to a class with me during June.

Apparently Karen Burniston, who developed this cutting system, has dissolved her partnership with Sizzix, who Stampin' Up! also partnered with to bring us Big Shot and all those fantastic Embossing Folders and cutting systems. It is a shame that we will no longer carry them, or the very popular Dress Form Pop 'N Cut. All on Page 188 of the catalogue and a die for the dress which will also retire at the end of June is on page 187. The two pieces I needed for these cards are Card Base Pop 'n Cuts and Label Pop 'n Cuts, so you cut 2 separate pieces and join them, fold out the pop up piece and move on to decorating.

As always, things co-ordinate perfectly, so it was time to grab the Deco Labels Collection and cut a label to stamp the zebra and toucan onto. The elephant was stamped on another piece of Whisper White, and fussy cut. I have the 'Brand New' from Baby We've Grown, stamped and die cut twice in Marina Mist.

On the outside are two more Deco Label Framelits cut in Whisper White and Marina Mist. The white one has been stamped with 'Sweet Baby' from Baby We've Grown, in Soft Sky, so it is very, very light. I stamped the letters of his name using ABC-123 Sketch Alphabet & Numbers. Luckily I had punched a few extra flowers with the new Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack while at Convention, 'cos I used some on the label too. Isn't the new flower just so cute? There is a small star and heart in that set of three, available after July 1st.
It was easy enough to cut the letters out using the Petite Pennants Builder Punch and I'm looking forward to the new stamp set they're releasing which matches the punch. The current set, Pennant Parade, is retiring.













I'm not permitted to share photos of Oliver on social media, but when I asked about my blog, my son seems to think no one reads it, so that will be okay. We won't tell him that you took a peek at his darling, little son, will we?

You can tell me though, {wink, wink}
Rachel




Card Base Pop 'n Cuts 130099
Label Pop 'n Cuts 130160
Coaster Board 129392
Deco Labels Collection 130102
Pennant Parade 128697 W 122742 C

Happy Birthday Karyn FMS #138

It's still sunny, beautiful weather in Melbourne so my husband and I are heading to the beach for the weekend. There'll be no swimming of course, but a walk sounds good, and he may fish too.
June is a heavy month for birthdays in our family, with two daughter-in-laws only days apart and then number five son a little later in the month.
Today I have made a birthday card for Karyn, who loves Pistachio Pudding. I used my new stamp set, the first one we were given at Melbourne convention, Kinda Eclectic. I love the leaves in this stamp set, they're kinda blotchy! I've fussy cut the leaves and adhered them in the centre only, along with the twine. It's a variation of the card we made at Convention, paired with this lovely, easy sketch put forward by Jen Timko at Freshly Made Sketches.
 I love that the sketch encouraged me to put a banner at the top, with a pretty button embellishment, when I would have just left it plain. I echoed that by placing the Sketched Birthday Happy Birthday banner across the middle.


Must away before Hubby becomes impatient!
Have a good weekend,
Rachel

Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention - Melbourne - 2014 Part Three

So, we're up to the end of Day 2 of Convention for demonstrators. (Managers start a day ahead of main Convention). Friday night is our awards night for the top demonstrators in Australia and New Zealand. We've known for several months that the group entertaining us would be Bjorn Again, an ABBA tribute band from Melbourne, who even impressed the real ABBA.
The awards take around an hour, as a lot of them are taken care of  during the General Sessions. We moved upstairs to find the daytime class area had been beautifully decorated with coloured wire chairs, luscious couches and inside, more tables, chairs and couches.
The food was good too, lots of savoury finger food and it just kept on coming out until you didn't want anymore. There were cute little chicken burgers. I love anything if it's miniature, do you? Spring rolls and different types of Dim Sum were on offer too. The photo booth was really popular, and the band had everyone on their feet. All in all, a wonderful night.

We had very balmy weather all week in Melbourne, most unexpected as we head into winter, so it was an absolute pleasure to wander back to our hotels, feeling very safe in a group, and enjoying the lights and other delights of Melbourne's night scene.

The Last Day

Saturday morning was another early start at the Convention Centre. I'd checked out of the hotel and dragged my bag, now a couple of kilos heavier with all the goodies I'd received, down to be stored in the cloakroom.
I'm sure everyone was as tired as I was, so it was a relief to see that the General Session would be amusing, not serious, when we spotted the slide, " um, um...I knew that." the format of the session was quiz show style, and it moved along very quickly and had us laughing all the way.

Then we had one more Make & Take upstairs, and some lunch. A packed lunch consisting of a roll, tub of salad, muffin, piece of fruit and a drink was supplied on each of the three days. I took the opportunity to check out some demonstrations with Blendabilities, and a very cute idea using the letter dies that will be released in the new catalogue.

Finally, I found the courage to try carving my own stamp, and I have to say that although I was nervous about slicing a piece out of my hand (I'm accident prone) I was kind of thrilled with the result. I chose a basic flower because it was about all I thought I could draw. That's why I stamp, because I can't draw!!!! In the end, I like the naivety of it, including the rough background.
Now that I've done it once, I'd be confident to help anyone who wanted to buy the Undefined Kit to try to make their own stamps too. You get quite a large piece of rubber and the tools are included in the Undefined Kit, mine was a very small sample piece, and there are refills too.

We had another General Session in the afternoon, and then it was time to say goodbye to friends old and new for another year. Would you like to join me at Convention next year? It's on the Gold Coast!!!!

Here is a link to the blog written by Shelli Gardener (with photos) about the South Pacific Convention. Looks like she also enjoyed Melbourne's good weather and the BUZZ that is 700 crafty women in several rooms!!!!!

Have you thought about becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator? Did you know that everyone is welcome from hobby demonstrators who want to buy their own supplies at a 20% discount right through to those who make it a full-time career. Your minimum spend is $440 every three months, and if you don't make your minimum, there is no penalty, you don't need to return goods or pay anything back to the company. You aren't obliged to demonstrate if you're not wanting to, and Stampin' Up! is a great company with quality products. Usually it costs $169 to join, and you choose $235 worth of products, but there is a special on at the moment, only $85 to join and purchase $90 worth of product. If you go to the JOIN NOW tab/button, you will find both options pop up. There is some extra information at my previous post HERE.

Rachel
Here is a youtube clip put together by Christine Hajjar, another Stampin Up! demo in our extended team. It gives you a pretty good idea of what Convention is like.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R09Euq90H7k&feature=youtu.be

Join Stampin' Up!

You can now become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator (or if  you like, a hobby demonstrator) at the reduced rate of $85 ($90 Product Value, free shipping). This is a special promotion which only runs from May 28th up until June 30th. This is great for Stampin' Up Demonstrators who've had to drop for any reason (must be more than 3 months ago) or if you already own a lot of current stock.I think it's quite a good idea to join now buying only $90 of the items on your 'Wish List' and purchasing a sizeable amount at the 30% discount offered for your first order within 45 days of joining up.

OR

You can still sign up with this great company at the usual starter price of $169 ($235 product value, free shipping). You get business supplies on top, with both ways of joining. That includes a box of 8 catalogues.
When you go to the link, both options are offered to you.

With a new catalogue due out soon, full of the usual great stamps, ink and paper PLUS fabulous new products like the Project Life scrapbooking system and Blendabilities alcohol based markers about to be released, there's sure to be plenty you want. Pre order for demonstrators commences on Friday May 30th, so we get to try the products before our customers. Stampin' Up! demonstrators always get 20% discount off their orders, but when you join up, if you make a $300+ personal order within 45 days, you get an extra 10% off, Yes, that's right, a huge 30% off - and get the hostess dollars to spend too. You'll pay shipping of 5% , but its a pretty good deal still. If you have some sales to add to this, it's even better.

 Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I get all my supplies at 20% off, I get to stamp, scrapbook and share with other like-minded girls. That includes my friends, customers and the other Stampin' Up! demos who make up the team! I work at this job when I want to, and its always fun! Do you think this might be something you're interested in too?

ThinkInk Team Members at Convention

Although I live on the outskirts of Melbourne in South Morang, you can join my team from anywhere in Australia, I'd love to support you in whatever way you want. If you think this might be something you'd like to try, you'll find a button on the right of my Stampin' Pals blog,(Join Me Now) or at the top right of my official Stampin' Up! DBWS page there is a JOIN NOW tab. Both of these lead you through the process. You need your credit card ready for the final payment and it helps if you have made a list of what you want to order. Click on this link if you're ready to try it.

1. What are the minimum sales requirements?

You only need to submit $400 in sales per quarter. That is less than an average Stampin’ Up!® workshop! Also, you can submit your sales in any increment you wish and still receive your 20 percent discount and commission.

2. What if I want to do this as a hobby and not necessarily a business?

Stampin’ Up! supports all demonstrators, no matter their goals or the level at which they choose to run their business. If you choose not to hold workshops, you can simply place your own orders and/or collect orders from family and friends to equal the $400 quarterly sales minimum.

3. Can I be my own hostess?

Yes, you can be your own hostess anytime you want. Invite your family and friends into your home and have a workshop. You will be the hostess, receiving the hostess benefits, as well as the demonstrator benefits, receiving your instant income and commission.

4. How much does it cost to get started as a demonstrator?

The Starter Kit is only $169, and is fully customisable. You choose up to $235 worth of any current Stampin’ Up! products and you will also receive a business supplies pack, containing materials you need to run your business (valued at $80).

5. How can I make money as a demonstrator?

You can earn money in three ways: instant income (20 percent of each order), monthly volume rebates (4-15 percent of total sales), and monthly downline override commissions (2-6.5 percent of your recruits’ sales).

6. Do I have to recruit other demonstrators?

No. If you were to recruit demonstrators, you would be paid override commissions on your downline’s sales, but this is a perk, not a requirement.

7. Where will I get project ideas for my workshops? What kind of training can I expect?

Stampin’ Up! provides dozens of training resources filled with project ideas and tips to help you run every aspect of your business, including a monthly publication called Impressions®, Demonstrator Support agents, a demonstrator-only website, hundreds of samples, annual and seasonal catalogues, a training DVD, the Demonstrator Manual, and a Product Guide.

8. Is Stampin’ Up! a well-known, respected company?

Since 1988, Stampin’ Up! has been selling rubber stamps and paper-crafting supplies. In that time, not only have we won industry awards and accolades, but also the loyalty and admiration of demonstrators and customers alike. And that is a trend that we work hard to maintain. You can rest assured that the reputation of Stampin’ Up! will only continue to improve!

9. What if I decide that I don’t like it once I’ve started? Will I be penalised if I quit?

You may choose to stop at anytime, and you will not be penalised. You simply stop placing orders. However, there are many benefits to remaining an active demonstrator.

Give me a call, 0417 500 681 or email rpalmieri5@bigpond.com if you have any other questions. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday I am in a classroom, so I can't pick up in school hours, but you can leave a message for me to call you back.

Looking forward to welcoming you...

Rachel

Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention - Melbourne - 2014 Part Two

Continuing on with part two of this tale, Stampin' Up! is very much like a family, especially here in the South Pacific (Australia & New Zealand) where the numbers attending Convention are more manageable (<700), unlike the US where Convention is HUGE! Demonstrators help and support each other through online forums, team meetings and we love a chance to meet up face to face once a year. Thursday afternoon was a very full one with six experienced demonstrators sharing business tips. We were also able to participate in three mini Make & Take sessions, two of them using the Kinda Eclectic stamp set we had been given in the morning. You can see two cards in my previous post. The project above resulted in another lovely stamp set to bring home, and you can see a couple of the new In Colors here too. I think they will be a nice addition to the range, although they are fairly subdued, except for the orange.

In our down time, not that there's much of it, we can admire gorgeous displays of new products (the fans are made from a new Designer Series Paper) and all the cards and projects made on stage, are displayed. Demonstrators usually hang one of their swap cards on the display board too and there is always a crowd around these boards snapping away madly.

On Friday, Shelli Gardener showed the NEW photopolymer stamps which must be stored away from light. They are a bit cheaper than the red rubber stamps but not quite as durable. However, the see-through aspect of these stamps is great for placement, and one of our Prize Patrols was a set of letter and number stamps in photopolymer from the upcoming catalogue. Shelli stamped some cards for us, her daughter Sara Douglass shared her Project Life albums and some hints on putting photos into them and getting the journalling done while the memories are still fresh!
I can imagine how useful this system will be for my travel photos too, I'm still working on the trip I took to the UK & Paris last August!

I know that I can order a limited number of items next Friday, and customers can start ordering from that range too on 10th June, before the catalogue goes live on 1st July, when the whole range is available to us all. Its even available on MDS if that's your 'thing' and you'd like to print original cards for the pockets.
Hop on over to my online shop after 10th June to check out Project Life.

Another point Sara brought up, it's a great activity to do with your children of any age. She said that she was having her five children pick out their favourite baby photos even, and getting them into albums so she can catch up with the back log.

Another new and rather exciting product we had a chance to try at Convention was Blendabilities. Like the Stampin' Write Markers, they are a dual tip, color coordinated to the Stampin' Up color range & acid free, but they are also alcohol-based (like a rather well-known alternative brand). This means they don't soak the paper and break up the fibres, they don't 'bleed' and they're permanent. Available in packs of three tones of the same shade they have simplified the process of choosing toning colours. We tried it out on a very small floral stamp, but in a later Prize Patrol we received Blended Bloom and a set of three Calypso Coral Blendabilities. I can't really try it out until I can buy a Memento stamp pad, although if I have time to experiment, I think heat embossing might work just as well.
In case you're wondering, Prize Patrols are one of the perks of going to Convention. That is when they announce that they are going to hand out free product to everyone, to give us a chance to try it before we offer it to you. It really is a terrific bonus, because every stamp set I received this Convention, was one I would have ordered anyway. I love that it saves me dollars.

There will be at least one more part to the Convention Tales so stay tuned...
Rachel

Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention - Melbourne - 2014 Part One

I have just arrived home from four days and three nights, staying in Melbourne for the Stampin' Up South Pacific Convention. Almost 700 Australian and New Zealander demonstrators gathered for fun and informative classes (and don't forget all the new product previews and give-aways!) Although it would have been possible to travel into the city each day, it would have meant an early commute on an overcrowded train, so I stayed on Flinders Street on the 10th floor, with a bit of a view, especially at night.
.

It was clean, comfortable and quiet, and that is all I ask of a hotel really. On a couple of mornings, I had breakfast out with my upline, Sue. For those who don't know, 'upline' is the title of the demonstrater who recruited you, so I am Sue's downline. Usually, we dine out at night in quite large groups, because everyone is so friendly, and we definitely have things in common, like stamping! {wink} These are friends who we talk to online and only see face-to-face once a year, so you have to make the most of it. Luckily, we are spoilt for choice in places to eat around Southbank.

Looking from the Melbourne Convention Centre along the Yarra River

Melbourne turned on the very best of weather, with temperatures between 18- 23°C (64-73°F) and it's only days away from the beginning of winter! On Wednesday I visited the National Gallery for a special exhibition visiting Melbourne until August sometime. The Italian Masterpieces from Museo del Prado (Spain) was full of fine examples of the Italian masters, which were greatly admired by Spanish Royalty and often given to the King as a gift. Unfortunately, no photography is allowed in the exhibition, so I purchased just one postcard. Afterwards, I had a rather long walk from the Art Gallery, back to the Convention Centre, to collect my gorgeous red bag, for an early start next morning. The managers had already had an afternoon of learning, and had been taken to a wonderful three course dinner at the Myer Mural Hall, with Shelli Gardener, the co-founder and CEO of Stampin' Up!

 ThinkInk team members Sue, Toby & Judy, checking the new catalogue

Our days are filled with entertainment, information and new products, and there certainly are a few of those for us to learn about. Two of the most exciting are Project Life and Blendabilities. A limited release of Project Life will be available to demonstrators next week, and for our customers from the 10th June. Fantastic way to store your photos, so quick and easy, and they can be 'dressed up' quite simply too. I think I will need to start doing this to keep up with all the photos I take, mainly of my gorgeous grandchildren!!!! I expect to have some products to show you soon,so don't forget to visit my online shop after the 10th.

At the end of the introductory session, we had our first Make and Take. We receive the products we need, including the stamp set, which we keep. The first stamp set was called Kinda Eclectic, and we have used it to make three projects. The first was a pair of cards, very similar but one design was 'stepped up'. That means it had more embellishments and was fancier than the first. It's great fun to be the student, getting instructions on how to achieve a great card!

After that bit of crafty fun, it was time for lunch, and then we had the surprise we'd all been waiting for!! The staff came out carrying boxes of catalogues and we could hardly wait to get our hands on them. Now to check out all those new stamp sets, dies, framelits punches and In Colors. It is strictly one catalogue per attendee, but I will be placing my order as soon as the item numbers go 'live' and it will probably be another 10 days until I receive them. I am having a Catalogue Launch Party on Friday 4th July, but if you want one sooner than that, you can txt or email me, and I will let you know when they arrive.
Phone 0417 500 681 email  rpalmieri5@bigpond.com

After lunch on Thursday, there was plenty more to do with some 'Make & Takes' and other demonstrators sharing their knowledge in another theatre. I think it might be best to save those pics for another day, since I need an early night to prepare for my other work tomorrow.

Cheers...
Rachel

Ready,Set, Send: Cards For A Cure

Almost all of us have family members, friends and neighbours who have been affected by breast cancer. This widespread disease has touched the lives of members of the Stampin' Up! family, and contributions to breast cancer research have been an important part of Stampin' Up!'s philanthropic outreach.

Stampin' Up! have partnered with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) to offer the Ready, Set, Send Kit. It is a package of 10 handmade cards (five thank you, five birthday cards plus ten envelopes) retailing for $19 (plus shipping, $5.95) and Stampin' Up! will donate $10 to NBCF for each kit sold.

You can purchase it in my online store or just add item #133384 to your regular order.

Stampin' Up! Convention 2014 - Melbourne - my swap card

It was amazing how quick it was to stamp this card. I had two of my grandchildren staying overnight the weekend I started,  but after they'd gone to bed I went off for some creative time. I grabbed some stamp sets from the shelf and a handful of my favourite colours, planning to use the splash from Happy Watercolor and a couple of feathers from Fine Feathers, positioned like the paint was dripping from them.

As you can see, that is not exactly the way it developed. I used the same stamp sets I'd picked but the design is quite different. In addition to those first two stamp sets, I then pulled Gorgeous Grunge from the shelf and Really Good Greetings for the sentiment. After designing the card face, construction of a bulk card is a step-by-step process, just like working on a factory production line.

My design process is a very hands-on, so the first card was stamped out completely and I made any changes to positioning at this point. Then, like I said previously, I treat it like a production line. All the splashes in one colour times the number of card fronts. Clean the stamp, move on to the next colour and so on. It just saves time and ink to work this way.

You might wonder why you would ever need or want to make cards in bulk like this? If you choose to make just one or two designs for your annual Christmas Card, this can be a very efficient use of time and materials. Perhaps you need to make many invitations for a birthday, wedding or some other event.
Well..... I was preparing all these swaps to take to Convention. At Convention there are lots of lovely demonstrators to swap with and you get to collect up a lovely range of cards, made with current products and colours, but often using techniques you haven't tried for a while, stamp sets you don't own and in a style different to your own.

This is my box of swaps all set to go, with the project 'recipe' on the back, and bagged up in cellophane. Maybe you're a fellow Australian or New Zealand demonstrator who swapped with me, I hope you like my card. Perhaps you're just browsing my blog looking for ideas - would you like to become a demonstrator too? You can email me, or contact your own Stampin' Up demonstrator, we're a happy and inclusive group of people.
I have posted this to be published while I am still away at Convention, learning heaps of new techniques, how to use new tools and seeing some of the new catalogue items. The catalogue will be released to customers on July 1st, Very exciting!

Cheers
Rachel

Never too Happy - Melbourne Convention 2014

I'm so happy! I've headed into Melbourne for the annual Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention.
Even though Melbourne is my home town and I could easily catch the train into the city each day, I look forward to staying in town for three nights. The  mornings get off to an early start and after the day is done, we get to eat out together. Everyone is very friendly and it is so nice to talk face to face with girls we've met in online team forums and so on. The days are filled learning about new products, how to use them, and generally having a lot of fun, with like-minded Stampin' Up!demonstrators. Who knows what delights await us, as the company loves to change things about to keep it fresh and exciting. They not only spoil us with an exclusive Convention Bag, but we also come away with lots of new products. Hopefully, I might even get my hands on a new catalogue.
If you would like to participate in all this fun next year, AND get 20% off all your hobby purchases, perhaps you might like to join my team? There's a link over to the right to take you there.

I thought I'd share this card I made a while back, using SALE-A-BRATION  Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper, and the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch to make the fancy closure. I coloured the stamp from Yippee-Skippee with Stampin' Write Markers so that it would have two shades of blue. It was fun to stamp the Petite Petals flowers down the side of the inside layer. On the banner, one flower is stamped, while two others have been stamped and punched out with the matching Petite Petals Punch. The Happy Birthday is from the retired Hostess stamp set Happiest Birthday Wishes and it seems to nearly match the script of the main greeting. I find it very hard to let go of my retired greeting stamps, but it is beginning to get quite hard to keep track of them all!!!
After I return home at the weekend, I expect to have more to share,
Rachel

Happy Birthday Mambo Curry! RS#115

I've been too busy to make any cards for a little while, but after work last night I made an effort to put together a card for RetroSketches. It's such a cute sketch, but I found deciding colours a bit tricky today.                                                                      
 I wonder what you think of Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo?

I used Peaceful Petals stamp set for the flower, Happy Watercolor for the splodges and spots and Petite Pairs for the 'happy birthday wishes'. Peaceful Petals and Happy Watercolor are in the Occasions Catalogue and it finishes in Australia at the end of June, so if you need these stamp sets, you'll need to order them soon. Petite Pairs is one of the staple greeting stamp sets: something for every occasion and you can use just one part, or two, of the pair.
I used non-Stampin' Up! rhinestones this time, but when we receive the Blendabilities, we will be able to color rhinestones, pearls etc. to match our projects. I wonder if we will see them at Convention this week?

I leave for the South Pacific Stampin' Up! Convention today, Shelli and Sterling have arrived, Bonnie has been here since Monday, I think. There are demonstrators from all over Australia and New Zealand streaming into town and we are all set to have a ball in beautiful Melbourne. It's the end of Autumn and we have had 10 days in a row over 20° (that's 68°F)and the sun is shining brightly on our city today!

I'm not sure that I will be able to update posts while I am away at Convention, but I have a couple of posts scheduled to be released while I'm away, so feel free to pop back in the next couple of days.
Have a great week

Rachel

Simple Flower Thanks PP196

I made this simple little 'Thank You' card a while back to illustrate how you can 'step up' a card. You know, you've made a card, and it just seems to lack something.
With this one, I added the Smoky Slate mat, and a strip of SALE-A-BRATION DSP, Sweet Sorbet, also on a mat. The stamp sets are Simply Sketched for the flower and the thanks, and Off The Grid for a bit of background interest.
Ann, at The Paper Players has called for a Clean and Simple Floral and I think this just might qualify!!!
Hope you've had a lovely stamping day,
Rachel

One In A Million PPA203

How good are these colours! I have used them in the past too, but usually for a masculine card. This one has been softened with the retired Comfort Cafè DSP. More than one of my customers has been smart enough to pick themselves up a pack in the Clearance Rack recently. You'll find heaps of inspiration at PPA Color Challenge, where I've entered my card too.

Nearly everything on this card has retired or is soon to retire, but that's not a reason to stop using these items. The stamp set, One In A Million, has been a favourite of mine, I've used all the stamps multiple times. You ought to take a look at the ones for babies and weddings, so sweet!

A while back, when I was feeling guilty about the reams and reams of brown paper the warehouse packs into our orders in Australia, I sat one evening punching out scalloped circlesfrom this packaging. I threaded ten onto a split pin and scrunched them into flowers. I still have a container half-full of these flowers, so I decided to add one of those to the circular label, which is sitting on the largest of the  Delicate Doilies Sizzlets-L. The Very Vanilla layer has been embossed with the Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder. The tulle and the little buckle have been retired for a while, but the tulle, especially, softens this card so nicely, I had to use it.


Because the stamp has 2 parts to it, of course I added that inside with a strip of  Comfort Cafe DSP and a Petite Petals bloom stamped in Crumb Cake.
Happy stamping
Rachel

#126999

#132052w #126382c

Fine Feathers For Father's Day CTD291

Wow! There are some super colour challenges this week! Usually, it is a sketch that sparks my enthusiasm, but this time its the terrific colours. These are courtesy of The Color Throwdown, why don't you click on the link and take a look.

It's Mothers Day in Australia this Sunday, so I made a Fathers Day card! Not really as silly as it sounds, both my parents have passed on, so there isn't a need for me to make either card actually. These colours and the inspiration picture seemed more masculine to me, so that's the direction I went.

Fine Feathers was a recent acquisition to my collection, so I'm using it a lot, especially as it now seems that it might be retiring. The thought process went like this: - feathers - writing quills- ink - slatters.  Gorgeous Grunge was a perfect partner, after all that thinking!

Delightful Dozen is the stamp set with 12 varied greetings, including Happy Fathers Day , Mothers Day, Easter and so on. Look for it on the retirement list shortly too. I've used the Banners Framelits to cut a couple of coloured banners to introduce a little more of the colour.

If you do happen to be celebrating Mother's Day, I do hope it is a perfect day for you, 

I'm pretty happy getting inky!!!

Rachel

Passing of Time

June is going to be a busy month in my family for birthdays, so I've made an early start with this card for a daughter-in-law celebrating her special day on June 1st.
I have used a range of purple hues for my Clean & Layered birthday card for the 'Monochromatic Purple' challenge at The Card Concept. Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum and Wisteria Wonder all feature with a touch of Rich Razzleberry as an accent on the stamping.

That quote is from a James Taylor lyric and features in the Stampin' Up! stamp set, From My Heart. I have used it quite a lot in the past with another favourite stamp set, Clockworks, which you may be able to see has been stamped onto the Elegant Eggplant base using the same colour ink. I put Wisteria Wonder through the Big Shot to emboss with Decorative Dots Embossing Folder. I just love the randomness of those dots, such a shame that SALE-A-BRATION items are available for such a short time and never, ever make it into a catalogue.

I had a fun session with a friend recently, using our paper piecing templates, to trim up labels and tags. Its a very soothing activity, sitting and chatting, while decorating card. The Apothecary Accents are really useful shapes, doesn't it suit this stamp so perfectly?

As well, the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack has a template to make your paper-piercing perfect. The twine tying this card is the Silver Bakers Twine and I've used my very last clock charm from Trinket Keys, which retired last year. I do wish I'd bought another pack or two while they were still available. I mustn't make that mistake this year, and neither should you!

When I make cards for family and those closest to me, I layer and stamp the inside of the card, and this one is no exception. A layer of Wisteria Wonder under the Whisper White, which has been stamped with various images from the Clockworks stamp set.
Hope you like my Monochromatic Purple card, please leave a comment if you've visited today.

Rachel

Envelope Punch Board Class - Melbourne

Card Class- Envelope Punch Board (not just for envelopes)

I have a couple of places left for this class if you're interested.

When: Friday May 16th 6.45pm till 10pm

Where: my home, South Morang, Victoria (address supplied once contact has been made)

Who: You, and a small group of friendly, like-minded ladies

How much: $22

Just a quick shout out to let you know there are places left at the craft table to make a set of boxed notecards. I will supply you with card, paper, ribbon and stamps to make and decorate the box you make with the EPB plus 4 notecards and envelopes to decorate as you choose, but there's nothing to stop you ordering more if you want. You'll find them on page 162 of the annual catalogue (item 131527) $9.95. They're quite handy to have on hand for a quick card, as is the  Hip Hip Hooray Designer Card Kit (item 1349998) $34.95. It includes everything you need to make 20 cards, including three exclusive stamps, dimensionals and ink spot etc.

All you have to do is email me, rpalmieri5@bigpond.com with your name, phone number and when its a good time to talk, or you can ring me on 0417 500 681. Just be warned though, I am in a classroom Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and won't be able to pick-up during school hours those days.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Rachel

Cool Kitty's Birthday RS#113

Today I have created a birthday card for a little girl using Cool Kid stamp set, and the soon to retire Bring On The Cake. At the top, pinning the sketch is 'celebrate' from Starburst Sayings. Of course, the Starburst Framelits Dies make it super-easy to cut the image out crisply. The colours I've used are Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding and Crushed Curry, quite a nice mix, I think. I especially like Strawberry Slush with some texture, so a piece of card was popped through the Big Shot with the Arrows Embossing Folder.






A tiny flower punched with an Itty Bitty Shapes Punch makes a flower to adorn kitty's head, and inside the card is another wee flower to finish off the strip with matching daubed spots.


Another great sketch from Retro Sketches, and you should see the gallery over there. Plenty of fabulous cards to inspire you!

Happy stamping,
Rachel