Stampin' Up! Weekly Deals - Available Till 30th December

Today I finally feel like I'm on holiday! Our family celebration was held on Boxing Day, to allow my daughters-in-law time to celebrate with their own mothers. We also have to fit around everyone's work arrangements and my eldest son is back at work today (Saturday). The festive left-overs were divided up last night, and this morning I've laundered the Christmas linen and it's flapping happily in the breeze. 

I'm late AGAIN with the Weekly Deals but they are too good to ignore so I will share them late, rather than never. After all, the shop is open 24/7 and the warehouse staff are back on deck Monday morning waiting to pack your order! The reduced prices show up automatically in the online shop.

Favourites of mine from this bunch are the Chalk Talk Framelits, Oh My Goodies stamp set and the Circles Collection Framelits. Even if you don't own the Chalk Talk stamp set, those shapes are great for adding interest to your cards or journal tags. I've shared several of these cards before, but they illustrate how often I use these Framelits. This card has two of the Chalk Talk Framelits paired with two sizes from the Banners Framelits. There is a glimpse of Chalk Talk stamping too but the greeting is from Perfect Pennants. I blogged about this card here, last February.

This next card was made a while back too using Perfect Pennants for the sentiment on a double banner. The tag behind the banners is another Chalk Talk Framelit and it was a perfect way to ground all those elements together. The Chevron Border Punch, Petite Petals Punch and a Hardwood background stamp also made it onto this card.

Lastly, for the Chalk Talk Framelits,  a change of colour and two more shapes paired with those Banners Framelits again! The sentiment is from the Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit and the Confetti Star Border Punch, currently in the Holiday Catalogue will carry over to the Occasions Catalogue,beginning 6th January. Chalk Talk Framelits are $32.21, till Tuesday.

Circles Collection Framelits are useful for all sorts of things. They complement the Starburst Framelits, and can accommodate many a greeting, as you can see with this rather large 'Happy 60th Birthday'.  This card was shared on my blog back in March when my friend Carol celebrated her 60th. Circle Collection Framelits are $34.46.











Oh My Goodies is a very useful stamp set too, I used it here to make this birthday card. Umpteenth is a favourite number of mine - I didn't know it was used universally!!!! A wood-mount stamp set is only $32.21 this week only.

This week would be a good time to check through your Holiday Catalogue to see if there is anything you're wanting as last orders will be taken 5th January. A number of items are carrying over, so you can always ask me for that information.

Email, text 0417 500 681 or leave a message on this post for any questions you may have.

Have fun creating,

Rachel

The prices below are pre- Weekly Deals, the correct price shows in my online shop, but the icons will take you there.

Circles Collection Framelits Die

$45.95

Squares Collection Framelits Die

$45.95

Chalk Talk Framelits Die

$42.95

Banners Framelits Die

$45.95

Perfect Pennants Wood Stamp Set

$51.95

Perfect Pennants Clear Stamp Set

$41.95

Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit

$34.95

Oh My Goodies Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$42.95

Oh My Goodies Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$30.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Big Bonsai Birthday

I like to spend the evening midweek, trolling through the various challenge sites to get my own creative juices happening. I hope the cards I make inspire you in some small way, to create too. I often find that I am inspired by someone else's card, and while it is a lovely compliment to CASE another's work, it is always nice to acknowledge where the inspiration comes from, and even provide a link.

Today I was inspired by this very cute sketch by Jen B. over at Freshly Made Sketches and then I thought I would see how I would go with the colours at Color Throwdown. Both of these are so fresh and clean. My bonsai-loving son is celebrating his birthday at the end of this month. He has a very small garden and plants his vegetables in box gardens. The Bonsai are on stands and shelves in different locations. His four-year-old son loves to help out with the watering!

Now this Oak tree from Lovely As A Tree hasn't turned out looking very bonsai, although Jake does have similar trees, but it's missing the lovely glazed ceramic pot. I used the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and turned it to the de-bossed side for a smoother look. A circle was cut out to show the stamped image underneath and the layers of card were popped up with dimensionals. The sentiment is from a new stamp set, Playful Pennants which co-ordinates with the Petites Pennant Builder Punch.

The sketch calls for something across the base (and it doesn't need to be card) I felt I needed more green, so I embossed a strip of Pear Pizzazz mounted on a slightly wider strip of Island Indigo with the Arrows Embossing Folder. Do you like the super chunky two-tone trim in the Holiday Catty? I had to add a length of that too. It reminds me of the cord that used to tie old men's dressing gowns.
I still felt the card was lacking something when I finished and thought some definition around the opening would be beneficial. The fancy surround was a happy experiment, playing about with Circle Collection Framelits and the Deco Labels Framelit.

Fingers-crossed that Jake likes his card,
Rachel

 

By the way, I'm on the design team for CASE-ing The Catty, which goes live every Friday at 7pm Australian Eastern time. Australia is ahead of most places in the world(not New Zealand) so it probably goes live in the early hours of Friday morning in the US, and perhaps just as you're getting up in the UK and Europe. I'd love if you popped over to check out our blog, where we are casing the current catalogue section by section. Last Friday was Card Giving, tomorrow it's Thanks.

Lovely As A Tree Wood Stamp Set

$48.95

Lovely As A Tree Clear Stamp Set

$38.95

Playful Pennants Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$37.95

Playful Pennants Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$28.95

Folder Arrows Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$13.95

Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

$13.95

Circles Collection Framelits Die

$45.95

Deco Labels Framelits Die

$42.95

Lost Lagoon A4 Cardstock

$11.95

Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz

$11.95

Island Indigo A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Card Stock A4 Smoky Slate

$11.95

Neutrals Candy Dots

$9.95

Natural & Old Olive Two-Tone Trim

$8.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Peaceful Thoughts Of You FMS 134

I've decided that Bermuda Bay must be my all-time favourite colour! I do seem to use it such a lot, and I am always happy with the cards I make in that hue, more so than any other.

The rumour mill has been working overtime since some Stampin' Up! demonstrators in the US collected their new catalogues this week. There is a whisper about that Peaceful Petals didn't make the cut for the next catalogue, so if you love it as much as I do, you'll need to order before the end of the Occasions Catalogue (30 June for Australia). Now, I have to say, I was surprised, as it has some lovely floral images, just perfect for watercolouring, as I did, with this stem of small flowers. I used the Aqua painter and a small amount of ink squeezed onto the lid.
There's a hint of Bermuda Bay on the petals, Pistachio Pudding on the leaves and stem and then I used the thick end of a Stampin' Write Marker to place some Crushed Curry in the centres.

The patterned paper is gorgeous, Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper comes in Smokey Slate, Coastal Cabana and Crushed Curry and this was such a nice 'understated' pattern. Of course, all the DSP retires at the end of each catalogue, so that will be going too.

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), the two floral shapes and one tiny circle are on the US retired list too. I can't imagine what we'll do without them. I trimmed the strip of Whisper White card that has been embossed with  Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder. At least that seems to be staying for another year.

What a nice 'clean' sketch Karren has provided for the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches. I used the Circles Collection Framelits to cut the white circle and the large scalloped circle is from that set too. It stays too, Yay!

We're really settling into Autumn here now, and it has been raining and rather chilly as I write my blog. I was very glad I did all my shopping earlier when it was still fine. Looking forward to catching up with friends tonight.

Rachel

Camera, Action, Smile -RS #99

I was 'in the mood' for a sketch challenge this afternoon, so popped over to RetroSketches to see what the sketch looked like and I sure did like what I found!

The half-circle cut out really appealed to me, and it didn't take too long before this idea came to me. I'm a sucker for camera stamps, so best I get on and ink up Peachy Keen! It has matching dies too and can be bought as a bundle at 15% off if you like cameras too. I used the Circles Collection Framelits for cutting my half-circle from the Sale-A-Bration DSP Sweet Sorbet. Most of the papers in this set of design series are sweet pastels, as the name might suggest, but I really like this bold pattern and mounted it on a mat of black card. The circle of Silver Glimmer Paper with the middle missing is from my scraps, I liked the way the central circle cut-out is off-centre! Some scattered rhinestones add a bit more gleam, and the bold smile greeting is from Happy Day.

Here is another close-up of the card, don't forget to leave a comment if you like my card, I really do get a thrill reading what you say.

Catch you soon,

Rachel

Morning Meadow Birthday RS

With all the craziness of Christmas, it is easy to overlook birthdays! I have a friend whose birthday is the day before, so in among my Christmas list is a note to choose a gift for her also. when I wrapped her gift in its pretty soft green paper, it struck me how similar the pattern was to the sprig of flowers in the Morning Meadow stamp set.

Using Pistachio Pudding I stamped on Whisper White and over -stamped in Baked Brown Sugar and the birthday greeting from Simply Sketched. I then used the Circles Collection to cut the white circle and a larger one in Crumb Cake and popped an In-color embellishment on the corner. It is loosely based on this sketch at Retro Sketches.





Thanks for looking,

Rachel

To Have & To Hold

I've had an overnight visit with my son, daughter-in-law and their three darling children and now I've waved goodbye as they head off on a weekend camping trip with friends. Then on Monday, I will drive an hour and a half to their home, so that I can attend the eldest grandsons kindergarten for Grandparents Day. He is really looking forward to going to 'big school' in January (and I bet his Mum

is looking forward to it too!) The littlest grandchild used my craft room as her bedroom overnight, so my crafting was delayed, just a tad.

The sketch by Kasia at Retro Sketches this week is brilliant, and I can see this as being perfect for baby, wedding, Christmas cards - all sorts of cards really.
I went with wedding and I've used Shimmery White card ( 121717)since its a special occasion. It's just a shame the shimmer on the card and the glimmer of the Rhinestones hasn't really shown up in my photos!!!!





Products Used
Stamp Sets: Hearts a Flutter (129252), Banner Greetings (129714) and a retired one which is available now in the US in "Best of Greetings" Stamp Set and it will be released in the coming months in Australia too.
Framelits: Hearts a Flutter (130159), Circles Collection (130911)
Other: Bermuda Bay Taffeta Ribbon(131206) Stampin Up Basic Jewels Rhinestone(119246)

Best of Greetings

Have a happy weekend, 

Rachel