Thank You Banners

Do you have a favourite stamp set in the Occasions Catalogue? I'm beginning to think mine just might be Happy Watercolor. There are just so many different ways to use those two flower stamps and the font on the words is such a nice one. I've put together a card today using both the flowers, for a thank you card. I hadn't planned to combine RetroSketches with the colour challenge at Create With Connie and Mary, or the Paper Players 'thank you' challenge but somehow the three of them just came together!

I have resolved to try to use Summer Starfruit more frequently, and it seems that those who dream up color challenges have the same mindset too - how strange!

I also thought I would give my Starburst Framelit Dies a rest, and pulled out the Banners Framelits Dies. I KNOW they will be a big favourite too, especially when I start using the Perfect Pennants stamp set with them.

Paper Players are thankful for spring, and I totally understand that, after the horrible winter they've had in the northern hemisphere. Those of us in the southern hemisphere (I live in Melbourne, Australia if you don't know yet) are thankful for autumn and some respite from the heat and  bush fires, and yet our temperatures are still over 30°celsius!

Thanks for dropping by my blog,
happy crafting,
Rachel

Thanks Much Six-sided Sampler

This is a simple CASE of a card in the Stampin' Up! Catalogue, page 125. It uses the stamp set Six-sided Sampler and a clever (but easy) little punched out centre.
The colours are Coastal cabana, Smoky Slate and Pistachio Pudding ; lovely and restful, aren't they?
I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig for placement, it didn't end up exactly the same, but very nearly. The dimensions of the cards may be different.
Another difference is the 'button' on the greeting. I don't have any Smoky Slate buttons, so  I punched a 3/4 inch circle and placed a large pearl on top. I think it looks really cute.
We have had a lovely time in Ireland with relatives who live there, I must get this card in the post to them.

Have a lovely day,
Rachel

Pick and Mix a Six-Sided Sampler

Another card from my "Pick and Mix" class on Friday night was this Six-Sided Sampler stamped using the Stamp-a-ma-jig. With the huge range of ink colours, plus the lovely patterns on these hexagons, it gave the ladies such a choice in ways to make their own cards individual.
One card was made totally using Real Red and the gingham hexagon and it looked fabulous. Another card maker incorporated a strip of card, paper pierced and hand stitched, because it will be a birthday card for a patchworker. What a perfect idea!
My sample was purposely kept to one layer with just one shape raised on Dimensionals. I used Strawberry Slush, Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana and Crushed Curry.Of course, with the Hexagon Punch to punch those shapes, this was a quick and easy card.

In October, I will be offering Quick and Easy stamping classes, so if you haven't had much experience with stamping, or you tried it, but didn't enjoy it, perhaps a Quick and Easy class in October will be the answer to discovering your creativity too.

Happy stamping
Rachel

Simply Sketched Sympathy FMS90

I can hardly wait for the new catalogue to be released in Australia - just over 2 weeks to go now!

Ever since we had a sneak peek at Convention, there has been excitement in the air. Now many of us have our hands on the new In-colors and returning colours plus a few stamp sets and accessories we are desperate to show them off to our customers.

Sneak Peek!

Last week I was at my Upline, Sue's house, and she let me stamp off some images from a hostess set from the coming catalogue, Simply Sketched.

I only stamped two of the three sketched images, and one of the greetings, because that is what I needed at the moment, but as well as this sweet poppy there is a sprig of  leaf with a few berries, and a darling little bird, which I've now seen very subtley water-coloured too. The other greetings are Happy Birthday Wishes and Thanks So Much.
There I was this morning with a page of stamped images, a sketch from Linda Callaghan at Freshly Made Sketches and an urge to break out my new ink pads. I began by cutting the images with a variety of Framelits, this one is two sizes of  the Labels Collection Framelits. These were the first ones released and mine are very well-used. I have used Crumb Cake as my base, and teamed it up with Pistachio Pudding, the prettiest shade of green ever. I embossed a piece using the Fancy Fan embossing folder through the Big Shot. At convention we were given a stamp set (in the New Catalogue) called Gorgeous Grunge, and it definitely is that. These diagonal stripes (or half chevron, if you like) are stamped in Strawberry Slush using, probably, the least grungy stamp in the set. If you love splodges and sprinkles, this stamp set will be a "must have". I finished it off with a Very Vintage button threaded with Calypso Coral Bakers Twine.

I have had the Aquapainter for ages, but had only ever used one of them to bleach stamped images. I thought that Stampin' Write Markers and a Blender pen were all I needed for watercolouring. However, at the weekend I spent some time with a fellow demonstrator and she showed me the water colouring she had done with an Aquapainter, so I decided to give mine another try. Oh my goodness! It was so much fun, and I love the effect, so soft and pretty. So once I have earned the Simply Sketched stamp set, I will really be giving the Aquapainter a work out. You can order a pack of two for $19.95, and you don't even have to use the water colour paper, although I think that would give a nice finish to this image.

You get to choose from our lovely Hostess only stamp sets if you host a demonstration, and your sales reach at least $300. Another way is to hold a "Virtual" party and collect up the orders and money from your friends totaling that amount, or you might be Stampin' Up! obsessed, just like me, and have no trouble putting together a $300 plus order all by yourself!

I've already finished my "other job" working week, and I look forward to the next few days stamping up a storm, although my darling husband and I are travelling into the city tomorrow night to see "Jesus Christ, Superstar".
Hope you have something nice to look forward to, as well
Cheers
Rachel